Art of speed
by Serena La Fay
Summary: The gang's lives are turned upside-down when a woman without a past moves into the neighborhood    are not my stories i am only posting this because its easier to read on some computers or ipads and ipod touch
1. Chapter 2

**Chapter 1**

Dom lifted his head from under the hood where he was attempting to replace a faulty fuel injector. He'd been at what should have been a half hour job for double that time. He was distracted. And who would have thought Dominic Toretto could be distracted by something as simple and inconsequential as loud music. Loud might not be the right word, he thought, looking to the rattling windows in the garage. The steady thudding of heavy bass had him suddenly clenching his jaw mercilessly tight.

"That's e-god-damn-nough," he growled, hurling the socket wrench in his hand, sending it skating along the cememt floor. He stalked out the garage and glared at the run down house across the street with its paint peeling, cracked windows and gutter sagging in places. It had been the same thing day and night for the past week, starting up just as the moving van had pulled out of the drive. Even from this distance he could tell it was some eighties crap. Not that he considered everything musically from that decade crap, but a large majority of it was.

Before he fully knew what he intended to do he was across the street and at the door, pounding. His fist slammed into the failing wood over and over and just when he thought there would be no one to answer to his anger, the door was jerked open. Blue eyes stared back at him, brimming with venom, ready to strike.

"What?" was yelled into his face, sending him into a fury born of constant aggrivation and at least one partially sleepless night. If for a moment he had slipped the bonds of that fury, he would have noticed the slight form in the doorway ... defiant to the utmost with long coppery hair settling at her hips and high tan cheeks. Her heart shape face was turned upwards to look at him. But he had neither the time nor the inclination to give her a once over.

"Turn down that shit!" he yelled back at her, stepping farther from the doorway as she advanced on him.

"Go to hell! Stays where it is!" The battle of wills began, back and forth, their voices raising to rival the decibels of the music.

Across the street Mia stood in the yard watching the exchange that quickly degenerated into a screaming match. Her hand came up to cover her mouth as she giggled. Brian joined her shortly, staring with more than a little surprise. Dom had actually gone on the attack because of the music. They had all known how it was getting to him but none seriously thought he would make a move to do anything about it.

"I could call the cops!" He spat the empty threat. They stood toe to toe in the middle of her yard now, each one refusing to compromise or give an inch.

"Then do it!"

"That's fuckin it! You don't turn it down I will!" He pushed past her, moving to the door.

"Think again, son of bitch." She raced the short distance to the outside tap and turned it on full force just as Dom got within reach of the door.

The water flooded over him, soaking him from head to toe. He stood there for a moment, his mouth set in a grim line. Oh she's gonna pay for this, he thought. She seemed to know that she had gone to far, that this was likely to gain her some horrible form of retribution. She dropped the hose and sprinted around the side of the house but not before she shouted one last needling remark. "Get the hell off my property! You're trespassing!"

Dom crossed the street fuming, noticing they had drawn a audience. Vince and Letty now stood in the yard gawking at him along with his sister and Brian. SHIT! Give 'em something to really talk about! He crossed back over the gooey summer asphalt, pinning them with a hard glare.

"Not one fuckin word," he growled, moving past them back to the garage.  
>Vince was laughing even before Dom was out of ear shot. "Guess this round goes to the babe with the great ass and amazing tits! Think he noticed?"<p>

No one noticed the murderous glare that Letty leveled at him or would guess why.

Another week crawled by and, if possible, the music got louder. More than once Dom wondered why none of the neighbors called the cops. But then he figured they were use to listening to car engines all the time. And to compound things, Mia seemed to be getting chummy with the harassing bitch. Of course she tried to hide it, tried to keep him from noticing. She would dash across the street when she thought he was busy, usually carrying something ... a plate or a bag.

He'd decided to say something to Mia, try and get her to stop taking in strays. He sat behind the thick metal cage in the back going over the books, telling himself he'd confront her just as soon as he was finished when a flash of movement caught his eye at the front of the building. He stood, rounding the wired enclosure, to see her, the nameless neighbor chick, bolt inside and around the counter where Mia stood. He watched as she immediately hit the floor on her knees, back pressed against the counter. It was then he noticed it, black steel, clutched in her hand. Taking a step forward he intended to get her and the gun away from his sister. But the appearance of two men, hair pulled to the back of their heads, dark skin, suits. Ambling inside, trying to look casual, they hovered near the counter. He waited for the scene to play out.

"You seen my girlfriend? I think she came in here," the one closest to Mia spoke up.

"No. No one came in here," Mia smiled sweetly, moving over slightly to stand over the crouching woman.

"Ok. Thanks." They turned to go. "Puta," was hissed by one of the men. Dom made a move to go after them but Mia shot a warning glare over her shoulder.

Cammie sat on the floor below Mia, the best and only friend she seemed to have. She shook as much from the exertion of her back ally sprint as from fear. But she knew it was more than fear ... she was terrified. So much so that she momentarily forgot the glock she clutched in her hand.

"Cam?" Mia was leaning near her.

"I'm ok," she whispered, tremors evident in her voice. It was then that she remembered the gun, glancing at it like it as snake coiled in her hand. Turning it, she hit the clip release and it clattered to the tile. Grasping the slide, she ejected the final round left in the chamber and slapped the offensive hunk of metal on the floor, shoving it away from her. Mia stepped away from her clearing her line of sight and, with a sinking feeling, she saw the gun come to rest under Dom's raised foot. A hard retort was poised on her lips waiting for him to make the first move when she began to feel the penetrating sting across her hand followed by a slick warmth.

"You're not ok. You're bleeding," Mia admonished, reaching for a towel and wrapping it carefully around Cammie's hand. She tugged the woman to her feet.

"I got it," Dom told his sister, leaning forward and picking up the gun. He shoved it into the back of his jeans and came towards her. She took a step back, instinctively. The man was big and imposing and if she had the home field advantage it wouldn't have mattered. But here, after dealing with the her latest round of trouble, she had to admit to being afraid of him. After all, he still owed her. Dom gave her a none too understanding smile, placing a massive hand on the small of her back and pushing her towards the back to the establishment.

The bathroom was cramped but it held them both as Dom shoved her hand under a stream of cold water. She cringed not only from the hard throb in the appendage but the quick image of the man beside her soaking wet.

"How'd it happen?" he asked, his voice short and impatient as he examined the laceration in the soft tissue between her thumb and index finger.

"I grabbed the barrel so, maybe it was the site," she shrugged, watching him probe the torn skin.

"It's not your gun?" He pinned her wanting answers.

"No, I hate guns!"

"For someone who hates 'em you seem to know somethin' about 'em," he commented, dabbing away the slight trickle of blood.

"What's your name?"

"Cameron," She tried to extract her hand at that point as the conversation started to get a little to personal. He had a firm grip and she quickly realized she wasn't going anywhere unless he wanted her to.

"That's all just Cameron?" He cut his eyes to her and she had the urge to look anywhere but at him, at his eyes that felt like they could reduce her to rubble.

"Cameron Alexander," she stuttered. "Cammie to most or Cam. Doesn't matter to me."

"I'm Do..." he tried to introduce himself.

"I know. Your sister told me who you were." She wanted out of this room, the room that kept them touching at points along their bodies ... not intimate but not totally innocent either.

"What the hell did those two want with you?" he continued questioning her, not bothering to give her any more personal information about himself. Likely she would only use it against him next time they faced off, and they surely would again.

"They just loved my sweet disposition so much the wanted me to stick around. But I'm not much for parties." She actually managed to smile at Dom.

"Too bad. They could've been your next water torture victims," he replied, reaching into the first aid cabinet near the sink. He was quick and surprisingly gentle as he covered the wound with a sterile pad and tape.

Jerking her hand free, she glared, ready to go on the attack. "Yeah, well at least..." She suddenly dropped her eyes to her hand. The anger that was there seconds earlier drained away. Cutting her eyes up to him, she tilted her head, studying him.

"Thanks," she said with genuine feeling behind it.

The next week brought a change to the neighborhood, to the feud between neighbors. Dom waited every morning to hear the blare of music and to see the rattle of glass in their panes, but it never came. Only occasionally in the garage did he hear the muted sound of music, so faint is was hard to tell if it was his imagination.


	2. Chapter 3

**Chapter 2**

Dinner had been over for more than an hour but Mia stayed in the kitchen occupying herself with small meaningless chores. Going to the doorway, that separated the kitchen from the group that more often than not occupied their house, she watched for her brother's complete distraction. But each time she peeked around the doorway he leveled a suspicious stare at her, leaving off trying to entice Letty up stairs. That was another oddity lately, Letty. The more Mia thought about the two, the more confused she got. Dom had been as attentive as ever but Letty seemed to be finding reasons to avoid him, refusing the offers she had always jumped at before. With a sigh she turned back into the neatly arranged, thoroughly cleaned room, looking at the small brown bag waiting on the counter.

"Damn it, Dom!" she hissed, frustrated as she watched the clock on the microwave tick away the minutes. Going to the kitchen window, she craned her neck at an oddly uncomfortable angle tying to see the house across the street. She decided to wait five more minutes and then go over whether Dom was distracted or not. Finally slinking back to the doorway, she noticed Dom was gone and so was Letty. She breathed a sigh of relief and turned ready to pad across the street. Brian followed her back into the kitchen.

"What's goin on?" he asked, his easy smile lighting his face.

"I'm going over to Cam's. Where's Dominic?"

"I don''t know ... looked up and he was gone." He shrugged, sitting his beer on the counter and pulling her into the circle of her arms. His warm caressing lips descended on hers drawing a soft moan in response.

"Brian, I can't. I need to get over there before..." She was cut off by another promising kiss.

"Go." He turned, picking up the beer as he headed back to the other room to become absorbed in the fifth inning of the Dodgers and the Mets.

She smiled, knowing that tone. He wanted her to hurry and get it over with. He had other plans brewing. She hoped she was right about exactly what they were. Grabbing the bag, she dashed out the back door and almost made it past the garage.

"Going somewhere?" The hard edge of Dom's voice brought her to a sudden stop as he stepped out of the shadows. "There's not enough of us to feed? We have to start supplying for the neighbors too?"

"I...She's...Damn, Dom!" she hissed. "You always gotta be so fuckin' harsh? You don't even know her. She's not the bitch you think she is." She turned back to the street.

"Don't assume you know what I think, Mia. It's dangerous." He intercepted her in three steps, taking the bag from her and forcefully turning her back towards the house. "I'll take care of this. Go. Brian's waitin."

She stared over her shoulder, jaw hanging loosely. Dom, the boy scout, being helpful? Actually, forgoing the first impression? Not like him at all. And where was Letty? She knew she wasn't with the others. Questions mounted in her mind as she marched back inside the kitchen.

***************************************************

"SHHHH!" A hand came up covering the mouth that a series of low lustful moans were flowing from. "Someone's gonna fuckin hear and then we'll be in deep shit!"

"I don't care! Just keep...!" A whimper combined with the previous moans filled the space between the two bodies.

"You gonna care, girl! Known him awhile and he ain't into sharin'! Now, shut the hell up!" The two came together hard and fast, hot sweat soaked bodies collecting a series of moments that should have belong to someone else.

***********************************************

Dom knocked twice on the front door. Getting no answer, he turned ready to head home and tell Mia that there was no one there. But that was before he heard the barley perceptible strains of ZZ Topp from the side of the house. "Damn!" he whispered, rounding the house. He'd almost made a clean escape, almost. The driveway was deserted but beyond that he could see the lights in the garage blazing and the side door stood open. The music got louder as he moved closer, glancing inside he saw something he hadn't expected. Cameron had been living across the street for more than three weeks and he'd never seen a car come or go from the house. Now, standing there he was looking at a custom Camero, maybe a '77 or a '78 he thought as he stood appraising the car. He stepped into the garage to get a closer look and then another step until he was running his hand over the rear quarter panel, finger tracing the ghost flames below.

Cam had been searching the interior again for what she wasn't sure. Clues? Yeah, it was clues all right she told herself. Someone just doesn't disappear and leave their most prize possession behind without some sort of clue. Laying across the center console, she made one last attempt at reaching under the passenger seat. Giving up, she sat up in the driver side. From the corner of her eye she just happened to glimpse movement in the rear view mirror. Forgetting how low the roof of the Camero was she made to dart from the interior to confront the intruder. But it didn't happen that way. Her forehead made brutal contact with the door frame. She sat stunned for a moment, everything tilting around her at odd angles.

Dom's head twisted hearing the loud thud, even over the music, just in time to see Cameron's head snap back. It was hard as hell to hold in the laughter at the comical sight. Her sitting there, dazed, it was only to obvious what had happened. She shoved from the interior, one hand against her forehead the other clutching a tire iron.

"SHIT! SHIT! SHIT!" She stomped her foot, leaning forward at the pain.

"Saw the lights. Mia asked me to bring this over," he said, laughter lacing his voice as he sat the bag on the car.

Cam's eyes widened as she straightened enough to meet Dom's eyes. "Oh, we are so even now Toretto! Water nowhere compares to this! Fuck, that hurt!" She dropped her hand reveling a nice size bluish knot.

"Damn, you always this accident prone?" He moved towards her, eyeing her and the car equally.

"No, I just took it up recently as a hobby!" Her look said it all, the question was the most idiotic she'd ever heard. "What the hell kinda question is that? Besides, you scared the hell outta me." A loud sigh escaped her. "Man, someone needs to put some fuckin bells on you or something!" She dropped the tire iron and it clattered to the floor echoing in the garage.

"No one's had the balls to try yet." He moved around her to the hood of the car. "It yours?"

"Hey! Hey! There's a first time for everything!" She turned slamming the car door closed. "Well, lets see. That's sorta a tricky question. Yeah, technically she's mine. I have the title and all but I'm just hangin on to her for a friend of mine."

"Her?" Dom's eyebrows raised as he turned his attention to Cameron.

"Yeah, Nico calls her Darlene or some damn thing like that." She shrugged. "And before you ask, I have no clue why or even who Darlene is. That's just one of Nico's oddities. The one before this was Tiffany, before he scraped her after he blew the headers." She smiled a slight blush creeping into her cheeks. She wasn't used to offering up this much information. Usually she hid behind the total bitch routine, that seemed to do the trick and keep everyone at arms length.

"Mind if I take a look?" He nodded towards the hood. Just like a guy, gotta check out what's under the hood, she mused.

"Sure. Go ahead. " She walked to the opposite side of the hood and pulled forward in tandem with him. The hood popped open to reveal the shimmer of the chrome intake and valve covers. Dom examined the engine compartment for what seemed like hours, saying nothing until they were closing the car up again.

"NOS," he broke off coming around the car to her. "Your friend into racing?" he asked. Reaching out, he planted a hand on her shoulder holding her in place as she tried to twist away from him he ran a less then gentle finger on the protrusion on her forehead.

"OUCH! SHIT!" she hissed, trying to bat his hand away.

"Racing?" he asked again.

"What?" she responded. "Stop!"

"Is your friend into racing the car?" He met her eyes with a questioning glance.

"No, at least not that I know of." She stepped away from him as he dropped his hand from her shoulder. "Why?"

"Seems a fuckin waste to drop green on something your not usin," he commented absently, his eyes straying over her shoulder to the tall tanks of oxy-acetelyne chained to the wall of the garage.

DAMN, if Cam isn't full of all sorts surprises!

"Yeah, Nico's a regular Sherlock mystery all by himself." She turned following his eyes. Turning back, she simply smiled ... no explanation was required. Dom was a smart man, that much was obvious, and he'd know what the bottles were used for.

"Better get some ice on that or it'll look like a baseball by mornin. Hell, probably gave yourself a damn concussion." He smiled in return, wanting to laugh as he remembered her nearly knocking her head off.

Cam had to remind herself to breathe for as long as the smile graced Dom's lips. Where the hell did that come from, she asked herself? "Ice is in the house. Least I can do is offer you a beer after Mia tricked you, or something, into bringing me dinner." She motioned towards the door.

"Mia doesn't trick me into anything. She doesn't have to. I told her I would bring this over." He reached out, snatching the brown bag from the back of the Camero.

She turned a confused look on him. "Well, I stand corrected. Thought hell would freeze over first but hey I'm not complainin." She turned her back on him, hitting the lights as she went ahead of him.

"Careful, you sound dangerously close to admitting the company's tolerable." A low rip of laughter came from behind her.

She glanced over to him as he fell in step with her. "Ok, the company is tolerable. Pleasant even." She rolled her eyes, trying to hide the flush that settled over her skin. "Don't let it go to your head, DOM. Cause I know I left that water hose around here somewhere."

They both fell quiet. Not an awkward silence that people usually found themselves facing, but comfortable, companionable, as they walked towards the front of the house. Pushing the front door inward, she reached for the light switch.

Dom glanced around the bright interior .. fresh white paint, plush blue carpet that looked and smelled new. He'd expected something similar to the exterior. The cabinet with the previously annoying sound system took up one wall of the living room. The opposite wall was lined with neatly stacked cardboard boxes, all oddly labeled, labeled by countries.

Cam stuffed her hands in her jean pockets, totally self-conscious now. Her sanctuary had been breached, willingly or not. It made her nervous. "Mi casa su casa and all that." She moved across the room motioning to him to follow.

Dom proceeded to the kitchen, leaning on the island bar, having a nice rear view as she leaned into the fridge. "So, what's for dinner?" She smiled, producing two domestic beers. He pushed the brown bag at her, wondering again why Mia was supplying her food. Glancing over his shoulder, he discovered the answer to that question. The stove was pulled away from the wall, disconnected, with more boxes taking up the top.

"Oh, chicken," she practically giggled, and then noticed where his eyes were. "Hey, sorry about the mess. I'm not one for unpacking."

"Noticed that. What's the problem?" He turned his attention back to her, watching her tear a piece of the chicken apart and pop the meat into her mouth. He noticed for the first time the high color of her pouty lips.

"Nothing. Just the gypsy in me, I guess. Doubt I'll ever really shake it." She smiled, shrugging.

"What's got you tryin to shake it? Not a half bad way to live if ya ask me," he replied, only half teasing. Straightening, he moved to the barstool beside him, never taking his eyes off her devouring the chicken.

"No, not you Dominic Torretto. You're the one that keeps everyone around you grounded, centered. The one they come to when the shit hits the fan." She tilted her head, studying him, trying to read the emotion the flicked in his eyes. But it disappeared too quick for her to pin down. With a sigh, she continued. "But roots sound real nice. I've been on the move practically since birth." Smiling, she licked at her fingers. "Lived in seven different countries by the time I was 18. Iran, Turkey, Malaysia, Thailand, just a few. We even lived in Bangkok for awhile."

"Who is we?" He shook his head, knowing it was a stupid question. But he suddenly had the urge to keep her talking. He had a feeling she didn't do it often.

She obviously didn't think the question was stupid, she answered it without missing a beat." My mom and me most of the time." Turning to the fridge, she retrieved two more beers sitting one in front of him.

"What's the story with Dad?"

Twisting the top off her beer, she took a deep breath. "Away a lot. Six months at a time to be exact. He worked the off shore drilling platforms. We trailed behind taking a place on the main land."

"What'd he do out there for six month stretches? Must 've been hard as hell being away from his family that long. " Dom took the offered beer, downing a quarter of it in one draw.

Cam watched the muscles along his throat work as he tilted his head back swallowing the beer, her heart speeding up to slam into her rib cage. "He was a deep sea welder, did a lot of casing repair, structure assembly, that sorta stuff."

Lowering his head to meet her eyes again, he saw the bright shine of desire flash there. It certainly wasn't the first time he'd caught a covert glance of attraction leveled at him but this one surprised him. He hadn't expected it from Cam. It took him a few seconds to shake the guilt he felt for loving that look in her eyes, for wanting to see it again. "So, that's what the acetylene..."

"Yeah, he taught me a thing or two when he had the time. Then got this damn idea in his head that I was going to be this renowned sculptor. He sent me to Florence as soon as I turned 18. Got accepted to a school there. That's where I met Nicola, Nic." She paused for a moment, her heart twisting painfully. "And I was there exactly three months, four days, and ten and a half hours when I got THE CALL. That call you know you'll get one day, one day in the distant future when it doesn't feel like some fuckin nightmare you just woke up from. There was an explosion 230 feet down. They said bleed back into the torch, new rig, shit happens. The bitch of it was, it wasn't the explosion that did it. Sudden decompression from a half inch rip in his suit." She brushed away the tear that appeared from the corner of her eye. Turning to busy herself with cleaning the counter, her voice strained. After years of keeping it all buried, it was Dom she chose to confide in. "They said it was quick, he blackout after the explosion, that he didn't feel a thing. Think that's true?" She turned back to him, wanting him to answer the question, tell her what she'd know all along.

"No, I don't think it's the way things went down. You're dying, you fuckin well know it. I think he was probably thinkin about you when it happened. Hell, that's what I wanna believe about my father. Gotta believe he was thinking about me and Mia when he hit that wall ..." He quickly cut off the rest of what he had intended to say. He hated showing his pain and that was especially true with Cam standing across from him.

She came around the island, trailing her fingers across his back. "Come on, wanna show you something." She went to the back door pulling it open.

Dom was game. He followed and stepped out into a odd metal wonderland. There were metal creations, in various stages of completion, all around the back yard. Metal humanoid shapes were reaching for the sky, reaching for one another, bending and twisting into graceful forms. "He left me with something. That's something I'll always be grateful for." She smiled over her shoulder at him. "How 'bout you?"

He nodded his head, knowing exactly what she was talking about. His skill with cars, with speed, with winning, all a credit to his father.

Half an hour later Cam shut off the arch welder showing off a smooth seam in her latest masterpiece. Removing her goggles she smiled. "Not bad, huh?"

"Not bad, at all," he replied, gingerly touching the hot metal.

"Yeah, it gets me by. I take a few commissions a year." She turned as the doorbell echoed through the house, sprinting inside to answer it.

Dom waited, planning on watching her work as much as she allowed. When she returned, it was with a smirk plastered across her face. "Your girlfriend, and she looks mighty pissed, cheif." Whispering as she passed him, she hitched her thumb back towards the house. "From the looks of things, you're in for a real fun evening."

"Fuck!" he growled. His eye narrowed as he comtemplated staying and letting Letty do the wondering for a while. He moved towards the back door and just as he was about to disappear inside, he glanced back at her. "I'll take care of the stove tomorrow."

"Only if we're having dinner. Thai ok?" she called, snickering as she relit the torch.

*********************************

Dom lay on his back staring up at the ceiling, sleep escaping him, his mind squarely on Cam. She peaked his interest. She'd obviously seen a lot, been a hell of a lot of places. She was honest, real. Granted, she tried to hide from most everyone, but he like the idea that she hadn't hidden from him. He knew more about her now then even Mia. A soft sigh drew his attention. Turning his head he, watched Letty squirm farther away from him in the bed. No surprise there. Her touch had become less and less frequent. But he'd adapted, saying nothing. He had his suspicions. He stood from the bed. Moving across to the window, he pushed the curtain aside. Bracing is forearms on the window frame, he stood staring across the street, stared at her house as if that could suddenly produce her.

Bad fuckin idea, Toretto.

***********************************

There was ringing, she could hear it, from miles away she was sure. But slowly it was becoming louder and louder and suddenly she found herself sitting up in bed, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Reaching for the phone, her hand fumbled in the dark.

"Yeah!" she ground out finally pushing the receiver to her ear.

"Cammie!"

"What?..." She gasped, eyes widening as she reached over, switching on the bedside lamp.

"Please, Cammie! I need...You have... They're gonna... Oh GOD! They're gonna..." The phone went dead on the other end.

"NICO! Jesus, Nicola!" she shouted as if that would bring his voice back to her. She sat there, in the middle of the bed, shock filling her sleep fogged brain.

What the fuck is goin on, Nico?

She slipped from the bed padding across to the window. Her eyes traveled the yard beyond, but quickly she found that it was the house across the street that was her real excuse for being there, for watching.


	3. Chapter 4

**Chapter 3**

Dom lay on his back matching up the fittings on the back of the stove. His eyes strayed to Cam every now and then. He'd know something was bothering her as soon as he walked in the house. Now she stood with her back against the fridge just watching him, her eyes seeming to stare right through him.

"Cresent wrench," he motioned towards the counter.

Blinking in quick sucession she cast her own engrossing thoughts aside. Nico would have to wait. Dom demanded attention just by simply being in the same room and she would concentrate on that, on him. She reached for the wrench and eased to the floor beside him handing it over, wrapping her arms around her knees.

"What's wrong?" He layed the tool aside and sat up leaning against the cabinet beside her.

"I got a call last night. Real weird shit." She paused laying her head on her knees, meeting his eyes.

"Collecting pervs already?" he laughed.

She lifted her head slapping at his arm. "NO!" Her nervous laugh hung between them. "I think it was...NO, I know it was Nico."

"You sound like you're not happy to hear from him. He coming to get the car?" He watched the confusion play across her features.

"Normally I would but it wasn't him." She paused, correcting herself. " I mean, it was, but he was pleading and begging me. Wasn't making any sense at all. Didn't say one word about the car. He was scared, Dom. I've never heard Nico like that before." She lowered her head back to her knees and sighed. "He's no saint, created his own share of problems but..." She sighed, not sure what to say, what to think. "I guess, I'm just worried about him."

"Don't waste your time worrying until there's something to worry about, Cameron. It's just gonna drive ya crazy." He laid his hand over her as she raised her head, smiling, squeezing his fingers.

"You're right." She offered a wide relieved smile, praying he was right. "Thanks, I feel lots better."

"No problem." He stood and pulled her to her feet. "Gonna need new fittings ... these don't match up."

"Well, shopping it is then." She moved across the kitchen and grabbed up a set of discarded keys. She laughed, holding out the keys to him.

"You sure?" He cocked his head, eye brows raised.

"Positive. I mean, unless ...Well, unless you can't handle her." She knew how ridiculous the statment was but just couldn't resist baiting him. Mia couldn't seem to keep from recounting each and every one of her brother's wins on the street. Cam had heard them all at least once.

"If I can handle her? Me?" He pointed a finger at his own chest. "My skills with a car are legend around here, Cam. How about you. I think I wanna see how you handle a machine like that." He took the keys from her and placed his hands on her hips turning her towards the back door, closing it as they stepped through.

"No! Come on, you DON'T want me to drive," she replied, glancing over her shoulder, slowing just enough to keep his hands on her, liking the wide span of fingers splayed against her.

"Why's that?" They proceeded through the backyard to the garage.

"Umm...Cause, you..." She began only to be cut off by him.

"This isn't about me. Why don't you wanna drive the car?"

"I don't like it. There's something...Something about..." She sighed, as he stepped away from her. "Besides, I can't navigate gears. " She blushed to the tips of her toes admitting to that little piece of information.

"You can't what?" he laughed, his eyes wide with surprise.

"You heard me! AND STOP LAUGHING!" She turned walking around to the passenger side, folding herself into the seat. "I shouldn't have said anything. God! It was hard enough admitting it without you pulling that shit!" she mumbled, cutting her eyes to him as he slid behind the wheel, her face holding a sullen frown.

Looking over at her, his gut twisted forcefully. He began to realize just what she could do to him with a look. "Hey, I didn't mean to embarrass you." He sobered, turning a serious gaze on her. "I can teach you if it's that important."

"Oh yeah, I'm gonna take you up on that after you've just laughed at me? No thanks, Dom. Think I'd rather not learn if it means being teased about it." She sighed, rolling her eyes. Before he knew what he intended she found her chin gently clasped between thumb and index finger, her face being turned, guided back to the intensity of his eyes. She found herself leaning in, wanting to be closer.

"I'm serious. I'll teach you. No more teasing." His thumb grazed her lower lips as he pulled away. She nodded pulling her lip between her teeth, the skin feeling scalded by his touch.

Dom's fingers tingled from the contact with her skin, tiny electrical pulses slithered along the nerve endings as he watched the uncertainly play across her face. "Think about it," he told her, not wanting to push.

"You've already done too much. I can't keep counting..." she lowered her head, feeling the hot flush crept back into her cheeks. "Shit! Dom, you've been feeding me for three weeks now. I'm feeling like a charity..."

"Fine. We do it like this. I have some chassis welds for you to do and I'll teach you how to drive." He turned the key in the ignition and the engine roared to life, settling into a smooth idle.

"Works for me." She jumped at the oppotunity, trying desperately to hide the flurry of excitment that took up residence in her stomach.

Across the street Letty stepped from the garage in time to see Dom backing out of the drive, obviously engrossed in what the girl beside him was saying. The camero rolled down the street and around the corner, out of sight and still she stared, rage boiled towards the surface damanding release.

"Easy baby, green ain't your color," came the familiar, distracting voice.

"Shut up! He's gonna fuck her. I know it," she hissed, cutting her eyes over her shoulder.

"Yeah, but it ain't nothing you haven't done first. He's being as true as you." Lips glided along the skin of her neck and then were gone.

*****************************************

Dom came around the corner of the aisle, new fittings in hand. Cam had taken her own direction the moment they entered the hardware store. And now he was left to search for her. There she was just where he had figured.

"Ready?" he asked, as she lifted a wicked looking pair of metal sheers.

"Yeah, am now." She tucked the sheers under her arm as they walked towards the front of the store.

Watching Dom from the corner of her eye as the cashier went about her job. Cam smiled seeing the girl eyeing him appreciatively. He didn't seem to notice. Maybe he didn't care. The girl announced a total, breathless and blushing profusely. She withdrew the slim black credit card from her pocket at the same instant Dom produced a wad of cash, saying. "I've got it."

No. He didn't not this time. She turned slipping between him and the counter, facing him, smiling her most impish smile, sliding the card to the cashier behind her back. "Think again, Dominic."

"When I say I got it, Cam. I got it." He pulled her forward pushing a couple of bills into the back pocket of her jeans, nearly loosing his fingers to the tight fabric in the process.

"Fine, you're just gonna get it back. Slowly." Her grin widened, reaching to the deep abyss of her pupils.

His own pupils dialated with the warm roll of volcanic heat along his nerve endings. Cam was pressed against him all the right ways that Letty hadn't been for the last few months. But she wasn't Letty and with a sobering realization she knew it was a good thing. He would feel the cold creeping in again instead of this amazing heat from Cameron.

"Your damn right. I'm gonna work your ass off." He growled, there was no menace in his voice only teasing.

"Oh, BABY! Such sweet talk!" she laughed, rolling her eyes and tossing her hair over her shoulder, slithering away from him.

"Move." Grabbing the sack off the counter he took her hand as he moved around her, tugging her instep with him. Looking down, she thrilled at the contact, the slight contrast between their skin tones, his a shade only slightly darker than hers.

"You in a hurry?" She tried to sound causal, but she was too distracted by his nearness.

"You promised me dinner." He squeezed her hand slightly. "I'm looking forward to it."

She shook her head as they exited the store, looking across the street. "There's something you really should know." she adapted a seriously morose look.

"What's that?" His eyes narrowed, hiding a sudden nervousness.

There was a dramtic sigh, her lips trembled. "You wouldn't understand."

"Try me." He tossed the bag inside the car though the open window, turning to her.

"Well...You see...It's like this..." she paused. "I like my dessert before dinner." A long slow drawl came from her lips, her eyes shimmering with a mischvious light. She nodded her head in the direction of the ice cream store across the street.

"I can see I have more to teach you than driving," he told her as they walked across the street, stepping into the small store.

"Oh yeah?" She giggled. "Like what?"

"I am dessert." He leaned in whispering near her ear, palming the cheek of her ass.

"DOM!" she gasped, her giggles bubbling out of her.

"Well, play with fire little girl and you're gonna get burned." He laughed at her shocked expression, taking it upon himself to order her a plain chocolate.

"We'll see who get's burned," she replied, taking the cone he handed her. "My favorite."

"Figures."

"What's that suppose to mean?" she asked, her tongue swirling through the cold thickness as they walked back to the car.

"It's my favorite too," he said, feeling awkward for the briefest second. He was letting her in, letting her behind the walls that only Letty had seen past before.

Cam watched him round the front of the car, quivering from the need Dom seemd to create so effortlessly in her, the need to leave her seclusion behind, to have some fun, have the company and excitement of someone like Dominic Toretto. She turned into her seat as he eased into the interior. Sucking at her lower lip in uncertainty, she presented the chocolate ice cream to him. To her relief he cupped his hand around hers and pulled the chocolate to his mouth, licking at the sweet cold. She held her breath watching him, waiting for the wonderful warm pressure against her hand to ease, in the same instant wishing it never would.

The chocolate was good, but the only reason he'd accepted the offer was because it was Cameron who extended it. And as a melted trickle flowed across her fingers he turned his attention to that. With a measured leisureness he licked the milky chocolate from her fingers.

Without seeing his free hand move at all, she found it clasped behind her neck. Pulling her in close, his lips moved to met hers. He was a heart beat away from have a taste of what he really wanted. With startling clarity he realized he'd been biding his time waiting for this moment, had wanted it since she had the guts to turn a hose on him. His lips whispered across her just as a pair of hands clapped onto the window beside Dom.

"Damn it, Jessie." He growled, pulling back slowly and turning.

"Didn't see a thing, man." His grin was wide and playful, his attention quickly distracted by the car. "Sweet vintage."

Cam released a sigh of disappointment beside him, moving to toss the melting ice cream out her window. All she could think was she and Dom had been so close, maybe too close. She didn't want to remember, to think about the fact that he had a girlfriend. Someone who undoubtedly had a long standing claim to his affection.

"Cam, this is Jessie. He works for me," she heard him saying. Turning back to the two, she pasted a carefree smile on her face.

"Hi." They both responded at the same time. He gave a nervous laugh and she continued to smile.

"Hey Dom, headin to Harry's to pick up those valve covers. Wanna..." Jessie's eyes left her to settle on Dom, talking business.

"I'll follow you over," Dom told him.

***********************************

Cameron stepped out of the car following Dom and Jesse inside Harry's, listening with half hearted interest to their conversation until she heard her name.

"You the new chassis man then?" Jesse asked watching her over his shoulder.

"According to your boss," she countered, looking to Dom. He nodded his head in affirmation.

"Glad you got stuck with the chasie work. I almost got locked into it." Jessie smiled at her, stepping aside so she could take the place between him and Dom at the counter.

"She's better than you ever dreamed of being, Jessie. Girls got a real knack for it." He winked at Cam.

"Yeah, got a real way with HARD steel," she delievered, elbowing Dom in the ribs as she left the two noticing Mia and Brian across the store.

Dom shook his head and watched her go, watching that certain sway of her hips he had noticed was unique to her. Jesse's nervous laughter hung in the air like a warning, reminding Dom there were other people around, people that knew him, that knew Letty. Just as the thought materlized in Jesse's head Letty walked into Harry's, Vince and Leon trailing behind her.

Jesse could see it in her eyes, see the moment she noticed Dom and zeroed in on him. It was enough to make him sick. They had all seen the change in the two and there was enough speculation as to what was the cause. This could be real bad, he reasoned.

Mia had plied Cam with questions about what was going on with her and Dom, she'd noticed a change. Cam continually insisting she had no idea what Mia was talking about. Brian only smiled with that "your totally full of shit" smile of his, keeping an arm wrapped securely around Mia's waist.

"Dinner... Just dinner." Cam was responding to one of Mia's questions when she realized the other woman was distracted. Something over her shoulder had drawn her attention. Cam turned and watched the woman walk towards Dom and drap herself on him, whispering.

"It's a show. Letty's just trying to latch on now," Mia hissed behind her. "He sees it." Brian chimed in.

They couldn't tell what was said between the two but Dom's features were set in hard determination, hers slightly pleading. Then they broke a part Letty's eyes narrowing and her shouted "whatever" rang through the store. Dom turned, not giving her a reaction, dealing with Harry and his account at the store instead.

Then things took a real turn for the worse. Letty came towards them and Cam steeled herself for the inevitable encounter.

"Hey, Mia." Letty's smile was sugar sweet, a try at innocents. "Brian." She turned to Cam. "And who's this? Couldn't be...No! Not Cameron?" Her laugh was caustic. "Cameron that Dom calls hell bitch 24/7? He really hates you, know that?"

"Stop it Letty!" Mia sneered, trying to urge Cam to leave with a glance while she could. But she wouldn't, couldn't give in and walk away, never having learned to do that, never learning to retreat.

"Bitch, huh?" Cam laughed, the sound short and sharp. "Am I suppose to be offended? Should I cry now?" A self assured sigh signaled her pause. "Takes more than that to get under my skin. So, Dom dosen't like me, thinks I'm a bitch. I could care fuckin less, I'm not the one loosing anything. How about you, Letty?"

Letty's only responsed was to take a swing at Cam. But Brian grabbed her arm, shaking his head. "Not here. Take it somewhere else."

Cam knew this round was hers, she'd managed to push a few of Letty's buttons. It was almost worth the kick in the gut that it had been to hear that Dom had been calling her a bitch. Why did he even bother with her if he disliked her so much? She tried to tell herself it didn't matter but it did matter, probably more than it should. She left the store deciding to wait for Dom in the car. Taking the time to distract herself she searched the interior again. It had to be the dozenth time but she did it anyway, becoming a ritual for her raw emotions. Finally, she was fed up and slammed her palm against the dash.

"Damn it, Nico!" She sighed, confused and fustrated, not knowing who was the bigger thorn in her side at the moment. "And fuck, Teretto!"

"That a offer?" Dom paused beside the car, glancing curiously at her through the open window.

"No." She shook her head, more pissed by the second, then her eyes fell on a bright red object under her booted foot. Reaching down she picked it up, a card. Embossed across the front in wide block letters was Tiffany's, a club. The name sparked recognition in her and her heart sped up just a bit. Tucking the card in the pocket of her jeans, she smiled to herself.

Leaving clues now, Nico? Fine, I'm game.

***********************************

"Enough with the shooting holes through me. What's wrong, Cameron?" Dom cut his eyes to her as they pulled into the drive.

"Nothing." She leaned towards him in the seat. "It must just be my bitchy nature. That seems to be the popular opinion." She stepped from the car as soon as it rolled to a stop.

"What the fuck's that suppose to mean?" he growled, shoving from the camero to follow after her, grabbing her arm before she rushed through the back gate.

"Doesn't mean anything, Dom. Just gotta remember who I can really count on." She tried extracting her arm from his grip.

"Is it Letty? Mia told me she said some pretty harsh shit." He hesitantly dropped her arm, his hand going to her hip, covering and pinning her in place just as effectively.

"Just let it go, Dominic. I can take care of myself. That includes holding my own with your...with Letty." She refused to look at him, instead she focused on putting some distance between them. But she was anchored in place, locked there in front of him.

"If she gets outta line again I wanna know about it, and not from Mia. Understand?" he told her, his finger pointed in her face, practically touching her noise.

"Sure," she snarled. "I'll run right over and tell you. Then what? I mean, come on Dom, your gonna get in the middle of this? I don't think so, It's between me and her..."

"I don't care who you think it's between. I wanna know." He started to pull his hand back and then paused. "Jealousy makes people say a lot stupid shit. I don't hate you, Cam. It ain't even close to what's goin on."

"Fine. Thanks for clearing that up." She was finally allowed to move away from him, realizing his hand was traveling slowly up her arm. This wasn't the the confrontation she'd imaged. Her breathing became a tad more difficult, her denim clad legs became elastic as slight tremors ran along her body. With a shaky breath she turned and opened the gate watching Dom throw up his hands in fustration behind her. But the second she turned back to the yard she froze in her tracks. Dom barely missed colliding with her so sudden did her momentum stop.

"Problem?" Dom's hands went automatically to her hips just before he looked over her shoulder.

All around the back yard the steel she had spent hours transforming into art, into something that reflected grace and beauty, lay toppled on the ground. Multi-colored smears and streaks lined the metal figures. Slowly she moved forward, her hand over her mouth curtailed the gasp of shock lodged in her throat.

"What the fuck?" Dom growled, surveying the destruction.

Cam simply shook her head and shrugged moving to the back of the house to something that caught her attention.

"...get Jessie, and Brian. We'll have 'em set back in place..." Dom was saying, noticing that Cam was moving to the house with single minded determination. With a quick sprint towards her he made to intercept her thinking the perps could in all likelihood be inside the house.

"Don't," was all he managed.

"No. No. It's ok , Dom. Look," she said, her head tilted oddly to the side, transfixed with what she saw. Touching his arm reassuringly, she moved up the back steps and traced the bright red letters sprayed across the door.

"Got any idea what that's about?" He came up the steps behind her, reaching for the door knob.  
>"No. S.C. Doesn't spark anything." She dropped her hand over his on the knob. "Don't bring Jessie or Brian over here. Don't say anything to anyone about this, not yet." She slowly exhaled.<p>

"Tell me why I'd wanna do that." He twisted the knob, looking to her.

"Just a feeling."

"The hell with..." he started, but she refused to let him finish.

"Please. For me?" She only hoped it didn't sound as pathetic and desperate as it felt.

"That's what you really want?" he asked, searching the kitchen and then moving to the living room.

"Yeah, for now." She smiled, relieved. He wasn't going to make an issue out of it.

"I'll be keeping an eye on everything that goes on over here. Gotta problem with that, tell me know." He leaned on the counter.

***************************************

Hours later Dom was finishing tightening the new fittings on the back of the stove as Cam came up behind him. Standing over him as he balanced on his heels, her hands went to his shoulders.

"We're still doing dinner, right?"

"Yeah, if you don't mind," he replied, turning his head to look up at her.

"Don't mind at all. Just thought I should ask before I go making assumptions." She smiled, kneading the tight cords below her hands, watching his reaction with something a kind to fascination. Moving across to his neck she dug her thumbs gently into the muscles running along the vertebrae below the skin.

"Shit, that feels good." He let his head fall back against her thighs.

"Glad you think so." She continued working along his upper back until the doorbell rang. "Be right back."

Dom noticed the breathless quality to her voice as her hands pulled back from him. Wondering if she was feeling even a fraction of what was tearing him apart, wondering if she was looking for any excuse to touch him, drawing out each minute to last as long as possible just to be with him, could he even hope that she felt the slow burn through her veins that he did. Standing he pushed the stove against the wall and rounded the door way into the living room as a delivery guy came though the front door.

**********************************************

"Stop giving me that look!" Cam giggled. "I promised Thia and isn't this Thia?"

"Not quite what I had in mind." He pinned her with an amused half glare.

"Sorry, it's the closest I could scrounge up. You didn't think I was gonna cook did you?"

"Would have been nice." He shrugged.

She handed over a plate of food to him, dished out one for herself and then turned to retrieve the high point of the meal. She produced two Coronas from the fridge.

"Think I can over look anything now." He laughed accepting the beer.

"Good, cause I'll be lucky if I can manage to boil water without burning down the house." She joined in the laughter, watching the light leap in Dom's eyes.

Somewhere along the course of the meal they moved to the living room, falling into easy conversation ... Dom wanting more stories about the places Cam had called home and she wanting to know as much as he could pack into the evening about street racing.

"And you were surprised that Brian was the one that showed up? That he would lay his ass on the line to keep you outta trouble?" she asked, totally enthralled as he told her about Brian's first race and the aftermath.

"Yeah. Leon, maybe, Vince I expected. But not Brian." He let her take the empty plate from him.

"See, I would have pegged Brian right away. He just looks like the eagel scout type." She smiled, moving the plates to the table near the sofa and easing onto the floor beside him.

"And how would you peg me?" he asked, turning and pulling her across his lap, his arms winding around her.

"Leader always. Never follows. Probably wouldn't know how. Very giving. Doesn't matter what it is. It's there for the asking with you. Passionate..."

No sooner had she gotten the last word out of her mouth than Dom's lips were covering hers, demanding a response, pushing gently for entrance.

It wasn't planned, he hadn't set out to drive himself crazy with the question he'd asked her. But as he listened to her talk about him like he was something unique, worthy of admiration in her eyes, he gravitated toward her, toward the natural sugary pink of her lips. He had to see if they tasted as sweet as they looked, and he was amazed to find they did. When her lips opened enough for his tongue glide to the interior of her mouth he heard her moan, arching towards him.

Cam wanted to do nothing more than to rub against him like a cat in heat. When exactly had she started wanting this so badly, her brain demanded? She clamped down on the thoughts that filled her head instead preferring to ride the wave of tactile pleasure. Their tongues were entwined, gliding against one another, taking turns exploring the warm wet interiors bared to them.

******************************************

The phone was ringing again, long shrill noise filled her bedroom. Cam was wide awake, the phone vying for attention with the distraction of her mind as she concentrated on replaying the taste and touch of Dom, the wet heat of his mouth and the hard lines of his body making her sigh with regret, when she sat up in bed and reached for the phone.

"Yeah?"

"Hello Cameron."

Her delicately arched eye brows drew together in confusion as she tried to place the voice, vaguely familiar.

"Who is this?"

"You still have my glock? I'm looking forward to getting that back." There was a malevolent laugh at the other end of the phone.

"What'd you want?" she stammered.

"Like the redecorating job we did this afternoon? It's just the beginning. You owe and now it's time to give it up."

"What the fuck are you talking about? I don't owe anyone anything." Fear was slowly starting to turn her limbs ice cold.

"NO? Nico does and you've just taken on his debt. He picked the wrong man to lift product from. Here's a name to remember, Sala Costus. He's gonna collect from you one way or another."

The S.C suddenly made sense and she gasped wondering exactly what Nico had gotten her into and, if they weren't collecting from him directly, what it meant. She was terrified to even think of the possibilities.

"Meet me at..." The voice at the other end began issuing instructions.

"FUCK YOU!" She slammed the receiver down shaking with the terror she couldn't seem to hold at bay any longer, made more acute when she realized she could have just ended Nico's life.

****************************************

It was becoming a habit with him, standing at the window watching her house, wondering if she were a asleep, dreaming. He saw it the instant the light flared in the backyard behind the house, the flood light. He hesitated, running his hand across his smooth head, a moment of indecision. He wanted to make sure she was ok, worried after the vandalism that afternoon. Would she even want him there? Turn on him for being to protective, like Mia? Glancing over his shoulder he took in the empty bed and realized it didn't bother him as much as it probably should. He was actually relieved when he finally decided he didn't care ... that he had to check, to see for himself that she was ok, and there was no one there to question him about where he was going or why. Shoving into his jeans he slipped from the house, bare feet, bare chest.

Across the street he pulled the key from its hiding place, having only learned about it hours earlier. He opened the door and returned the key. Moving through the house he navigated the interior without any lights. As he opened the backdoor he saw her standing there in the middle of the back yard, head tilted to the sky, arms wrapped around her.

Cam heard the moment the door opened behind her and for the space of a heart beat her terror returned, thinking it was the guy that had made the call. But just as quickly a warm calm settled over her and she knew it was him, it was Dom.

He stood there for a moment watching, her shoulders shook slightly below the T-shirt she wore. He moved across the lawn realizing she was crying or very close to it. Hoping like hell he wasn't the reason. He hadn't pushed her had he? Hadn't cornered her into something she didn't want?

The thought of the comfort, the warmth, and not in small part the security he could offer was to good to resist and when he stopped behind her she turned, eyes red rimmed from her tears, and eased against him absorbing it all. Her arms slipped around him and locked against his back.

Dom waited, waited for her to tell him. He wouldn't try and drag it out of her, wouldn't ask questions she didn't want to answer.

"Nico's in real trouble this time and he's drug me right along with him." She hiccuped as she fought the tears. "I don't think he's even..." Stopping she couldn't finish the sentence.

"I'm here, Cam. I'm listening." He ran a hand through her copper hair, massaging her scalp with each new pass of his fingers.

Taking a deep breath she told him about the phone call, about her fear, admitting she didn't begin to know where to start trying to get herself out of the shit she was in.

"It ain't your fault. Just got a fucked up friend. Sounds like he tried to save his ass by handing this guy, Costus, yours."

She pulled away from him slightly meeting his eyes. "I'm sorry, Dom. I didn't mean to drag you..."

"You didn't drag me into anything. I could walk away now if I wanted to. IF I WANTED TO." His lips were moving to cover hers again, moving to show her exactly where he wanted to be.

She opened her lips to met his thrusting tongue, enjoying the invasion, enjoying the pleasured tension relayed in the kiss.

Dom couldn't resist, his hands began to map her body, pulling her hard against him. His body responded immediately, hardening. His hand quickly came to the hem of the T-shirt and slipped beneath it. When he encountered nothing but the bare warm skin of her ass his lips crushed hers in a frenzy of hot need, tongue thrusting into her mouth only to withdraw, the same thing he was intent on doing to her body.

Cam tried to keep still not to be overly encouraging but she wanted it, wanted him so badly that her body took over for her, wiggling against him, his pulsing erection nesteled against her stomach. She found her hand traveling across the hard plane of his chest downward over his quivering stomach and lower still the button of his jeans. Her fingers didn't have time to finish their task before she felt herself being lifted against him, Dom encourgaging her to wrap her legs around him. That's when her conscious geared up and began warring with her body.

Dom felt her stiffen against him, felt her withdraw. He knew she wanted this as much as he did but here she was about turn cold on him. "Cam, something wrong?"

"Yeah." She broke from his arms and stepped away, arms going protectively around herself, draw on her what strength she had left, opened her trembling lips and said the one thing she didn't want.

"Go home, Dominic. You don't belong here. We don't have the right to do..." she paused, turning her face back to the night sky and then turned her eyes slowly back to him. "You have someone. The two of you have history. Go take care of her." Taking a deep shuddering breath she turned her back on him.


	4. Chapter 5

**Chapter 4**

"Cam ... CAM! Get your foot off the clutch!" Dom rubbed at his forehead and tried to hide the smile that pulled at his lips. Teaching Cameron to drive the camero was turning into a bigger job than he'd thought. He WOULD be replacing the mangled clutch. He winced hearing her grind the gears and then braced his hand against the dash as she brought the car to a jerking stop.

"I can't do this." She shook her head, pushing out of the driver's side door. The sound of a car horn blared as it swerved around the camero. She walked to the front of the car and leaned on the hood, arms crossed over her chest.

"Shit! I ain't got enough patience for this," he mumbled as she swung out of the car. "I'm never gonna get it." She threw up her hands as he stopped beside her.

"Yeah, you will. Come on." He moved around her and gently pushed her towards the passenger side. Inside the car, he took her hand and laced his fingers through hers placing it over the gear shift. "You're over thinking it. You gotta feel it. Can't force it, Cam."" He grinned over at her. Thinking back, Cam could swear it was the most erotically enticing smile she'd ever seen.

"Feel it, huh?" She returned the grin, matching his point for point.

"It's the only way to learn here ... from the inside out." He hit the acclerator and floated through the gears.

***********************************

The mig welder sputtered and spit as Cam worked on the last of the frame welds for the racing machine Dom pointed her to more than two hours earlier. Cutting off the melding heat, she pulled the ruby goggles from her eyes. Dom watched her examine her work. Her head bent, long hair pulled into a ponytail at the back of her head, smooth neck glistening with a sheen of sweat ... that slow burn began in the pit of his stomach, the one he came to associate solely with her, as she nibbled her bottom lip. The question of how he'd managed to stay away from her the last few days sprang to his mind. The night she had sent him back across the street wanting and unsatisfied had been a hard blow, but something the couldn't help but respect. She had class. There were lines she didn't cross no matter how she wanted to. Below her long lashes she saw that Dom's attention was pinned on her. The intensity of his eyes made her shiver, eyes that could turned her liquid with just a glance. When finally her curiosity got the better of her she turned to him.

"Anyone ever tell you that staring is rude?" The smile flittering across her lips was open and teasing.

"Yeah, but do I look like I give a shit?" He stopped beside her looking down at the welds, not surprised at all that they were flawless, smooth. Dom's restlessness rolled off him in waves and Cam tired not to let him affect her, tried not to gravitate towards him while he was standing there so close to her. She nodded, her eyes pinning him with a cutting glance.

"Oh yeah, you give a shit all right." Shaking her head she turned to him. "Whatever it is, just say it. There's something on your mind." Taking the goggles from her, he tossed them to the workbench beside the torch.

"Shit, I feed you, fix your stove, and teach you to drive and suddenly you think you know me?" He smiled, snaking his arms around her waist, relieved that she didn't pull away.

"Gettin there quick." She wiggled into the embrace, tilting her face up to him. The impish smile she turned on him was too irresistible. His mouth dipped towards her, lips clasping lips. Dom eased his tongue into her mouth reacquainting himself with the taste of her, allowing her to do the same. The warm wet glide was a soothing balm to his restless agitation, Cam's tongue invading his mouth, laying claim and not even realizing it. Gently, ivory teeth tugged at his lower lip as she pulled slowly away.

"Do I really have to repeat this, Dominic? You wanna hear me say it again."

"There's no way in hell this isn't gonna happen. Maybe, not here and not now. But it'll happen," he growled, lips trailing along her jaw to her neck.

"Not as long as your with..."

"Um Hum..." Mia stood just inside the garage's wide door, trying frantically to be noticed without looking like the idiot she felt after obviously intrupting the two.

"What?" Dom barked, keeping his arms securly around Cam's middle as she tried to disengage herself.

"This just came for Cam. Fed Ex." She handed the other woman the big envelope as she walked past, a knowing smile tugging at her lips. She moved through the garage towards the office thinking how full of shit Cam had been about dinner, how Brian had been right, and how glad she was that Dom was on the verge of making a break. Dom dropped his arms as she took the package and met his eyes with an equal amout of surprise and curiousity. He shrugged, taking it from her and shaking it.

"I guess the word careful doesn't mean much at this point." She jerked the object back from him.

"They're usually marked fragile if that's the case." He shot her a mock glare.

"You always have an answer..." The package began to ring. Cam glanced between the Fed Ex emblem and Dom. Ripping into the envelope, she pulled a cell phone from the interior and promptly punched the main face button.

"Hola el dulce, sabe quiénes es éste?" The icy smooth voice floated from the phone. She didn't answer so, the voice repeated the question. "Do you know who this is?"

"Sí, qué usted desea?" She stumbled through her rusty pronunciation. "What'd ya want?" Cutting her eyes to Dom she held her breath waiting for the long pause at the other end to play out, the full impact of this call slowly sinking in. They knew where she was, who she was with. There was only one way they could know that. THEY were watching.

"I want what's mine. Give me that and this will all vaporize. Go on with your life. Fuck with me, and you won't like the way I recoup my loss," the voice threatened, hissing out each syllable.

"I don't know..." she began, only to be silenced by a growl. Her eyes went to Dom again, gesturing for her to hand over the phone. She shook her head negatively.

"Cameron, don't disappoint me. Nicola tells me you're a smart girl. I want the cases and he says you'll know where to find them." A slow menacing laugh came from the phone. "That is, he told me before I made sure he won't be telling anyone anything again."

She began to pull air into her lungs in big gasping breaths, trembling.

"Relax. He's alive. Minus his tongue. Híbrido." The insult to Nico's parentage spat across the signal.

"NO! GOD, NO!" She dropped the phone, her features ghostly pale. Only Dom's quick reflexes kept it from shattering on the cement floor. Dom watched the one sided conversation unfold, Cam growing more scared by the second. His hand clenched and unclenched at his sides. Once she dropped the phone he shoved it to his ear but the signal was long gone. Striding to the big double doors, he scanned the area not really expecting to see anyone.

"I gotta go. Gotta go now." She turned, looking frantic, pacing to the garage door and back.

"Come on, I'll take you. You can tell me what the hell that was..." He started to take her hand, connect with her again.

Cam's mind clicked in quick succession. Dom, Mia, Brian ... her mind snapped off the names of the team. She couldn't do this to them , couldn't pull them into the unknown. She jerked her hand away from Dom and turned on him, her index finger planted hard against his chest.

"No. You're not. This is on me. I won't be responsible."

Jessie stumbled into the scene, his only intention to spec the engine mounts and clearance ratios of the car, the new job. His ears tuned to Cam's voice, he couldn't quite place the timbre. He scribbled measurements on the pad in his hand, head jerking up as Cam called his name.

"Take me home, Jess?"

He looked between the two until Dom nodded his head.

"Yeah, give me a sec." He turned and headed back to the office.

"Cam," Dom tried to reason with her. "Whatever it is..."

"It's none of your business," she spat, eyes hard and uncompromising. Dom turned slamming both is fists across the sheet metal that was to be the car's hood.

"Don't lock me out like this Cam." He shook his head. "WE can handle this. The both of us."

"It's not your problem." She presented him with her back. The talking was done.

**************************************

Jessie stepped though the door of the office and both Mia and Vince turned their attention on him, stopping their conversation. Grabbing the keys to his car, he waved them off.

"Hey, where you going?" Mia asked.

"Taking Cam home."

Mia looked back to where Cam stood in the bay of the garage.

"Why isn't Dom doing it?" Her questions continued, following Jessie's line of site.

"Think they're fighting." He shrugged, breaking from the office before he was subjected to more questioning. Vince got up from the stool where he was sitting and look through the glass at the two.

"No doubt, they ain't gettin along." He glanced at Mia. "What's the story with those two anyway?"

Her brows furrowed as she sighed. "When you find out tell me and then we'll both know.

*********************************************

"Stop. Let me out here, Jess," she told him as they rounded the corner at the end of the block, her block.

"Shit! I can't..." Jessie sputtered, not wanting to leave her. He didn't want her to walk, not after he saw her tears.

"No. It's better if I get out here. And don't say a word to Dom about this."

He watched her stalk down the street, hands shoved in her pockets, head down. He sighed and drove past her fighting indecision. Would, should he tell Dom she'd been crying? Should he tell Dom she made him leave her at the end of the street?

Dom rolled up at the end of the block. He sat watching her walk down the street, Jessie just turning the opposite corner. Running a hand across his bare head he struggled with the same questions he had in the garage. How hard should he push her on this, push her to let him in? Was he even willing to lay it on the line for her?

*************************************************

Cam stepped from the shower, water cascading from her limbs. Toweling her hair dry, she let her mind wander. The strains of something low and throbbing came from the stereo near the bed across the room. Nico again warred with Dom for attention inside her head. One needed finding, one needing forgetting.

"Can't do that to him," Cam whispered, thinking how many complications she presented to Dom as she tossed the towel aside and switched to brushing out the tangle of copper. Once she worked the last strand into compliance she ambled to her bed and fell backwards, staring up at the ceiling.

"Oh, Nico. What have you gotten us into this time. Where are you?" She sighed, wrapping her arms around herself, asking those questions for the hundredth time. With sudden clarity she bolted upright on the bed. Twisting around, she searched the room for her jeans. Finally spying the hem teasing her from behind the open bedroom door she moved to retrieve them. Plunging her hand into the front pocket, she fished out the card she had tucked away there. She perched on the bed near the nightstand and looked over the card again before pulling the directory from the drawer near the phone. Pausing, her attention was captured by the phone. Off the hook, and had been that way since the last call she'd received. Gingerly picking up the receiver she returned it to the cradle and it immediately it began to ring. With a speed created from desperation she jumped off the bed and stood over the ringing omen of trouble. She jerked the cord from the wall and the ringing was cut off, only the faint trill from the phone below in the kitchen could be heard now.

"Leave me the fuck alone!"

She tugged at her damp hair in frustration. Folding herself onto the bed, she opened the directory and searched along the listing until she came to what she was looking for.. Pulling in a deep breath of nervousness she closed the book and dressed, again tucking the card into the pocket of her faded jeans. She bounded down the stairs going to the phone in the kitchen that still rang incessantly. Picking up the receiver from the base, she disconnected the called and quickly dialed in a number.

*****************************************

The sun had set hours ago and Dom's restlessness had reached an all time high. Mia had set dinner in front of him and he'd eaten two bites and picked at the rest for half an hour before Mia got fed up with watching him and pulled the plate away from him. The car hadn't provided anymore distraction than anything else, only seeming to compound his agitation. Several foul shouts had been heard through the open back door as Dom went about timing adjustments.

"Go talk to her Mia," Dom had ordered after making his way back into the house.

"What? Talk to who? About what, Dom?" She looked up from where she was snuggled into Brian's arms on the couch.

"Cam, damn it!" he barked, moving to the window and staring across the street just as a cab pulled in front of the her house. He watched her race out the front door and into the waiting car.

"SHIT!" he hissed, rushing out of the house. Seconds later Brian and Mia heard the Mazda scream out of the drive.

*********************************************

Cam walked into the dimly lit club, hoping she didn't look as scared as she felt. Watching a woman on the raised stage spin around the pole in the middle, nude, she sighed thinking this was just Nico's style. She pivoted in the direction of the bar and took a seat ordering straight vodka. Just as the glass was set in front of her a tall dimple cheeked blonde approached her.

"Hi." The blonde breached the small gap between them running her fingers along the back of Cam's long hair. "How ya doin, hon?" came the sugary southern twang.

"Ummm...Fine...Thanks..." Cam tried shrugging off her touch, her heart speeding up inside her chest as the woman leaned in whispering, "Want me to dance for you, Darlin?"

Whoa! Whoa! Got the wrong idea lady! Wrong person!

Lucky for her Cam's mind began that rapid fire process she had of reasoning out things. It all hinged on the cars, Tiffany the name of the car Nico had scrapped was the same as the club. She took a blind leap turning to the blonde, thinking of what Nico called the Camero.

"No thanks. I'm looking for Darlene."

The blonde plastered a practiced pout on her face. "You sure?"

"Yeah, you don't know just how fuckin sure." She gave the woman a quick smile before lifting the vodka to her lips.

"Fine," she sighed. "I'll go get her."

Cam tilted the glass again as it was refilled, waiting.

"Peaches, says you're looking for me." The woman that was obviously Darlene materialized beside her.

"Yeah, actually I thought you might be able to point me in the direction of Nicola Iova..." she started to explain only to find the woman scowling at her.

"Sorry. I can't help you." Darlene's reply was far to abrupt by Cam's estimation. The woman turned and began to walk away but Cam wasn't giving up that easily. Pushing from the stool, she grabbed Darlene's arm.

"Hey! It's important I find him," she spat. "Please!" She changed tactics, beseeching the other woman with turbulent eyes.

"WE ARE DONE HERE!" Darlene said loudly, shaking off her hold and looking to where the pillar of a man was rising from his place at the end of the bar.

"Shit!" Cam hissed as she headed for the exit. Outside she paced in front of the doors running her hands through her hair. The bitch knew something that was for sure, in to much of a hurry to get rid of her. She couldn't just go back in. She'd meet with the same results no doubt.

Dom had pulled into the parking lot seconds behind the cab and had seen Cam go inside. He knew the club, been there a time or two ... more like a dozen. But Cam ... what he hell was cam doing here? The logical conclusion stuck in his head and he tried to shake it loose. He'd seen her exit the club, he stepped from the car and closed on her. Cam chewed her lips and continued to pace, working on another angle that would get her some answers.

"Think you could've mentioned you're into..." he laughed coming up behind her.

"Don't you dare finish that sentence, Toretto!" she hissed, swinging on him. "What the hell are you doing here?" She sighed, tired and defeated.

"I followed you." He kept it real simple for her.

"Goddamn! Has it totally escaped you that I'm trying to keep you outta this monumental fuck up? It's not your problem. You have Mia and the rest to worry about." Crossing her arms over her chest, she glared at him, ready to drive him farther away if she had to.

"I have you to worry about."

She shook her head, giving up the battle for now and handing over the card she pulled from her jeans.

"I found it in the camero" she explained her theory adding tidbits of what she knew for certain. "She knows something, Dom."

He nodded and pulled her back into the club with him.

"What the..." She stumbled after him trying yank her hand free. Inside he turned to her, backing her against the wall, leaning in to flick his tongue across her lips.

"Keep your eyes on me and stay right here. You'll have to follow me."

Several more feet into the club Dom grabbed the first topless feminine form that came near him. From where she was Cam couldn't hear what he said but the brunette slithered off and moments later the girl she knew as Darlene approached him. Inclining his head to her ear, he whispered something and they moved off across the club with Dom motioning to Cam behind his back. She followed as closely as she dared, not wanting Darlene to get a good look at her again. She came to a hault outside the doorway to the private room, Darlene already peeling off the long black satin cocktail dress she wore as Dom watched.

"Oh man!" Cam's eyes narrowed, seeing the woman straddle Dom's lap and begin to grind against him ... her string like thong covered buttocks rolling in time to the heavy thrum of the music. Cam turned away for the briefest second, her insides twisting painfully. Looking back, the scene got worse as the twin spheres of Darlene's full breast were thrust inches from Dom's face. Cam's eyes went wide, jaw clamped tight, as she watched the interaction play out ... an inward groan echoing through her head. She didn't want to be feeling anything as she watched and waited, least of all the glacial cold that clenched hard at her stomach. He was smiling at the woman, his lips moved as he said something in that deep voice of his. It took a supreme effort of will to keep herself from being sick, unfamiliar feelings rolling through her hard and unrelenting as her throat constricted and moisture formed at her lashes. Dom happend to glance at Cam just before he began questioning the woman above him, purposely avoiding looking at her until that moment. He'd looked forward to seeing the expression on her face, surpise, jealousy, even excitement was what he had hoped for. But he didn't expect to the see the hurt and disgust she tried so hard to hide. He thought he'd seen just about every look she could use against him but he was wrong. He hadn't seen this one, the one that felt like a well placed kick in the gut. His wide hands wrapped around Darlene's upper arm and squeezed slightly.

"I'm gonna ask you a few questions and you're gonna tell me what I wanna hear. Got it?"

She began to struggle against him and she gave her a slight shake.

"Listen, you can either talk to me now or Costus later," he bluffed, trying to get her compliance. She stilled, her eyes narrowing.

"What ya wanna know?"

Cam released her pent up breath as she watched Dom bring the show to an end. His rough treatment of the woman gave her an acute feeling of satisfaction, seeing the woman shaken, seeing her surprise, and anger. Darlene didn't have Dom's attention any longer, not the way that she longed for it. She moved into the room just as Dom waved her in. Looking over her shoulder, she saw that security was making a move towards the room.

"Make it quick!" She hitched her thumb over her shoulder. Dom nodded.

My friend..." he paused, thinking just how inappropriate that word sounded when talking about Cam. "She's looking for someone. Nicola Iovanni."

"I told her..." Darlene cut her eyes to Cam, glaring, "that I couldn't help her."

"Cameron, doesn't buy the bullshit, darlin," he sneered, pinning her with a hard glare of his own.

"Cameron?" She gasped. "That's your name?" Darlene's eye shifted between the two.

"Yeah. That's my name.." Cam spat, just as security popped a head through the door way.

"Gotta a problem in here?"

Dom released Darlene's arm and she slinked off his lap.

"No. Not at all. Just finishing up." She gave security a placating smile.

Darlene swung on Cam. "Why didn't you tell me who you were? Nicola said you'd show up sooner or later. And here you are!" She smiled, glancing over her shoulder at Dom. "Who's he?" Hands planted on her hips she let her eyes slide over Dom as he stood.

"Mine. That's who," Cam said, directing the answer back to Darlene, who laughed at Cam's response.

"It's just a job. That's all, hon."

"Yeah, whatever." Cam squared her shoulders and demanded the information that she'd come for. "What'd ya know about Nico?"

Darlene leaned down and retrieved the cocktail dress from the floor, producing a key.

"I haven't seen him for more than a month. But the last time I saw him he told me to give you this."

Taking the new silvery key from her, she turned it over in her hand, examining it.

"This is it?"

"No. He told me to tell you this." She paused, searching her memory. "Hide. 12107396455770. That was the last thing he said to me." Shrugging, she walked past Cam towards the doorway.

"Good luck finding him. I think he was in some sorta trouble. There 've been guys in here askin about him almost every night."

*****************************************

"Yours?" Dom smirked, eyebrows raised, his attention divided between her and the rolling black asphalt.

"Don't give me shit about it, Dom." She sighed, kicking off her Nikes and shifting so that her legs were curled against her, back to the door, watching him. "I didn't..." She'd almost said she hadn't meant it but she did mean it, wanted it, wanted him.

"You were jealous," he accused, laughter in his voice.

"I was not!" She nearly choked on the words, knowing they were a lie.

"No?" He pinned her with knowing smile, self confident . "Really?"

"Really! I'm not jealous!" She kicked out at his shoulder, making light contact with her target.

"You can't lie for shit, Cameron." He snagged her foot where it rested against his bare skin. Pulling it down into his lap he began to run is fingers across her ankle. "Have any idea what the hell she was talkin about with all those numbers?"

Tilting her head back against the window her eyes slid closed as she felt herself slipping into the warm pool of Dom's touch. She could have been absorbed in that sweet oblivion for second, for minutes, she didn't have the slightest idea.

"Cam?" Dom prompted, hearing her a content sigh issue from her lips.

"Yeah, huh?" Her glazed eyes popped open, coming to rest on Dom.

"The numbers?"

"Oh, yeah. Sorry." She chewed her lips as she thought about the numerical sequence. "Part of it's real easy. A simple code Nic and I used in Venice. It was an "I'm in trouble" type thing. The other numbers are gonna take a little longer to sort out. But bet your ass I'll figure it out."

"Hell, I don't doubt you will." He smiled, moving his fingers along the top of her foot then gave a downward swipe across the bottom.

"Shit!" She jerked, attempting to pull her foot away but was stayed by his hand. Her unrestrained laughter filled the space between them as Dom's hand went back to her ankle. Half an hour later they sat in the Mazda outside Dom's just drinking in one another, falling into the downy comfort of being near one another. And to, his surprise, she leaned towards him in the seat sealing her full lips against his. Her tongue took its own path as he opened his mouth drawing out the onslaught of her eager mouth, kissing, lapping at him in turn. Tangling his hand through her long mass of hair, he fought for dominance, his tongue slipping into the heated confines of her mouth. With a groan of regret, she pulled hesitantly back, whispering against his lips.

"Thank you, Dominic Toretto. " A sigh whispered over his lips. "You have no idea how much you're appreciated."

Running his tongue along her lower lip, he asked, "This means you're over trying to keep me outta this?"

She lowered her head nuzzling at his neck. "Kinda outta my hands now. Toretto does exactly what he wants to. That right?"

********************************************

Dom strode through the back door, still feeling the lingering heat where Cam's hands and lips had been. He'd come to a decision while they kissed, an easy one having her wound around him. It was time to have a talk with Letty. It was time to bring things to an end between them. He was beginning to realize there wasn't much left to salvage anyway. But now all he was looking forward to was a long hot shower and easing the tug of desire inside the tight confines of his jeans. Downstairs the lights were all out and the rooms hung in a stale silence. No one was home, Brian and Mia must be at his place he reasoned. He took the stairs, unhurried, for the fist time in months, actually enjoying the quite of the house. He paused in the hallway just outside his room, hearing first and then seeing the couple in his bed. Her dark hair hung unbound to the middle of her back, swirling as she rode the thrusting body below her hard and fast. Her moans filled the room mixed with the deepening sound of male pleasure. From his vantage point, Dom had an unobstructed view of the their joined bodies.. The lamp at the beside shone on the distinct tattoo on the arm that pulled her downward, kissing, stroking. Standing there, leaning on the doorframe, watching the two, everything fell into place. The weeks of Letty's in attention, at times avoidance, tumbled into place. Vince hardly made even the briefest eye contact anymore and now it was easy to understand why. Dom pushed away from the doorway as Letty moaned Vince's name.

"Change the sheets when your done. This ain't no fuckin motel."

He ran the gambit of emotions as he retraced his steps back down the hall and out of the house but the only one that held true was relief, sweet encompassing relief.

*********************************************

Cameron slipped out of her jeans and sunflower yellow tank, exchanging them for her usual oversized T-shirt. Bounding down the stairs, she rounded the corner into the kitchen, still floating from the intimate contact with Dom. A dreamy smile tugged at her lips as she opened the refrigerator searching the contents and knocking the small carton of milk to the floor in the process. She jumped back as the cold white liquid splashed across her feet and pooled on the floor.

"Where's a cat when ya need one!" She giggled, reaching for a dish towel and tossing it on the spill. Kneeling, she began to swipe at the spreading milk. There was a long exaggerated sigh issued from behind her and instinct told her who it was. She glanced over her shoulder, bright blue eyes taking on the smoky gray of desire.

"You have any idea what you're doing to me?" Dom's large frame detached from the surrounding shadows, a predatory gleam in his eyes, stalking as the hulk of his form moved nearer.

Turning she planted her butt against the cold wet tile, legs pushing out in front of her. "No. Why don't you tell me," she replied, seeing the hungry strain in his features, thinking he was more hungry then she could ever remember seeing a man.

"Think I'd rather show you." He stood over her, hand extended down to her. She chewed her lower lip, creating a sensual aura around her that grew by leaps and bounds. Taking his hand, she tugged him down to her, his knees anchored on either side of her hips, chilled milk soaking into his jeans. She should push him away, guilt rushing in at how weak she was. The same moral compass pointed directly at Letty and their relationship.

"We shouldn't. You know that, right?"

"It's over, Cam. There's nothin between Letty and me." He reached out brushing the hair from her neck, watching the stands fall over her shoulder. "Just you and me now."

Her hand wrapped in the fabric of his T-shirt pulling his lips down to hers. "You and me," she whispered, taking his tongue deep in her mouth, sucking, nipping at the welcomed invasion. Dom's thorough attention to her mouth increased to a frenzy of thrusting and retreating as her heady moan filled his mouth. Impatient hands went to her thighs easing upwards under the hem of the T-shirt and he was elated to feel she was bare beneath. Kneading fingers traveled to the juncture of her thighs, caressing the downy curls, all the while his hardening length pulsed in response inside his tight jeans, gripping him so tight it was painful. He'd wanted a slow drawn out session of pleasure with her but he was quickly realizing it wasn't happening, they were both in too much need to prolong this. Cam's hands were now plucking at his tank trying to get it off him, hands trembling against him. Easing away from her long enough to pull the tank over his head, he tossed it across the floor, not caring where it ended up. Her T-shirt followed, allowing him to see all of her from the high round globes of her tits topped with dusky pink nipples to the almost concave plane of her stomach, even lower to the coppery thatch between her legs. Cam's sigh was long and lusty as her hands went back to the hard wall of his chest, tracing the flat disks there. Trailing her fingers downwards she began to work at the button of his jeans, only to stop and caress the thick bulge below. His warning growl had her smiling against his lips as they descended again in another frenzy of giving and taking. He hadn't felt her hand leave him or heard the sound of the zipper but abruptly the gripping pain of denim was gone giving way to a softer gentler pressure. With supreme effort he remained still as she began to stroke along his quivering shaft. Remained still all except for his fingers that dipped between her fleshy lower lips, sliding inside her tight opening. She was so wet, so ready, his head spun with the sucking heat that surrounded his fingers, urging him deeper. Pressing in all the way a rhythm began, a rhythm that kept time with her strokes as she brought him closer and closer to the brink. The whimpers and panting that came from her throat made him crazy with the need to be inside her, fully inside her. She couldn't have known exactly what he was feeling but suddenly she was on her back and he was poised above her, head angling down to clasp a swollen nipple between his lips, pulling at it, suckling. He moved from one to the other, dividing his attention as long as he could. Shivering with the contrast of cold below her and the inferno of heat above she caressed his head. Hooded eyes watched as he devoured her sensitive nipples, clasping his neck to bring more contact. Her thighs spread wide to accommodate him as he settled, the tip of his weeping cock nudging her slicked tunnel.

Pushing his jeans over his hips she managed to grab the taunt flesh of his ass. With rolling of thick muscles, his hips thrust forward and he was buried inside her to the hilt, searing heat enveloping him. There was a moment of adjustment as she stretched to accommodate him and he trying to grasp what control he could. They remained locked there until she began to move beneath him, urging him on, the milk below her making a odd suction sound each time she moved. In a measured pace he thrust into her, battering her deep feminine barrier. Her mouth sucked roughly at his neck, branding him. Cam was lost in the tidal pool of tactile waves as her body coiled preparing for the hard orgasm to come. It crested like a mammoth wave pulling her along with the hard spasms that gripped Dom so mercilessly. She was shouting his name, arching into him, hearing it from what seemed like miles.

Feeling the boiling roll of fire along his pounding cock he clenched he jaw tight, head rolling on his shoulders, moaning growling undistinguishable words. How long had it been since he'd felt something as incredible as this? Cam was what he'd been missing and now he knew it as he came in a drenching surge inside her. Slowly they drifted back to one another through the fog of sated desire, ragged breathing stopping anything spoken between them. Dom pushed his weight from her, turning onto his back on the floor beside her and cringing with the feel of the cool liquid below. Pulling her against him to be cradled against his shoulder, they lay there, both waiting and wanting the renewed craving for one another. Suddenly Cam broke the silence giggling.

"I need a shower." She sat up, pushing her wet hair off her back. Reaching out, her finger tip glided along his growing erection, teasing.

"Want some company?" He smirked up at her, knowing the answer before she opened her mouth.

"Yeah, unless you got better things to do." She sighed.

"Hell, no. Not tonight, not tomorrow, not any other night," he replied.

It was as close to any declaration of emotion she could hope to hear. She'd take that or any little part she could have of him because she knew exactly how she felt. She was falling hard for Dominic Toretto.


	5. Chapter 6

**Chapter 5**

The kitchen filled with bright morning sunlight. Squinting, Cam stretched and reached for the box of coffee filters. Popping the thin paper into the basket, she deposited the coffee and turned intending to snuggle into bed for a couple of more hours, wrapping herself around Dom awhile longer. But the knock at the back door was a quick sign her plans had just been derailed. Padding across to the door, she saw that it was Mia.

"Have you seen him? Is he here?" the other woman asked, moving through the open door, turning anxious eyes to Cam.

"I assume you mean Dom." Cam closed the door and motioned for Mia to take a seat at the counter. Mia nodded with a heavy sigh. "There a problem?" Crossing the kitchen Cam pulled two cups from the cabinet and filled them with the hot steaming brew, strong black coffee.

"Could be. Letty's looking for him. I thought I would find him first and give him a heads up." Accepting the cup from Cam, Mia blew at the liquid trying to cool it.

"What's going on, Mia? Why she looking for him bright and early like this?" Cam's eyebrows drew together, a suspicious frown lining her lips.

"Well, from what I know, Dom came home early this morning and found her and Vince in his bed. Letty's got it in her head that she can fix things. That she wants him back and that V was just some big mistake." Mia threw up her hands. "I can't believe she thinks she can fix this. And poor V ..." she sighed.

Cam finally spoke up. "He's here. Upstairs. But he's still asleep."

A bright hopeful smile crossed Mia's face. "Yeah?"

"Yeah." Cam replied, turning to dump her coffee in the sink. "I'll go wake him."

"NO!" Mia smiled, coming around the small kitchen island and stepping to her. A quick hug and she moved away. "Probably could use the rest."

Cam stood there blinking in quick repetition. Mia was a friend, that was unquestioned, but she hadn't expected the warm show of affection from the other woman. She nodded returning the smile.

"Just make sure he's in a good mood when he leaves for the garage." The other woman giggled, a slight flush creeping into her cheeks.

"I'll see what I can do." Cam shook her head, laughter in her voice. She followed Mia towards the door.

"Oh, Dom left this in the garage yesterday. I thought it might be yours. Didn't look like his." Cam took the cell phone Mia handed over, looking at it like it were some sort of venomous snake.

"Thanks." She cringed as she turned back into the house. Walking through the kitchen, she stopped long enough to shove the compact phone into the freezer just as it began to ring.

**************************************

Dom woke slowly, enjoying the lingering lethargy from the first real night's sleep in weeks. He sensed Cam watching him before he opened his eyes and reached out for her but encountered only the cool cotton sheet. Prying his eyes open, he scanned the bed beside him and then further down. She was sitting there, near the edge, staring at him, a cup clutched in her hand. Shoving pillows behind his head he returned her stare finally, reaching out to touch her only to have her pull away before his fingers could make contact.

"Cam?" He pushed up in the bed as she stood, setting the cup on the night stand. He didn't know what to think. She didn't really looked pissed, not like he'd seen Letty or Mia. She wasn't hurting, no tears. He quickly thanked god for that, one of the few things he was very bad at dealing with.

"You should've told me." She went about the room picking up his clothes from the floor.

Now she had his full wakeful attention. "Told you what?"

"Letty and Vince." She turned, tossing the clothes on the bed. Determined steps took her to the bathroom and she twisted the shower knobs.

"I told you there's nothing between us anymore. Isn't that good enough for you? My word doesn't mean shit?" He stalked into the small room behind her. Turning, she was met with his fully nude form and quickly glanced away before she became distracted.

"So, there's nothing between you. Why didn't you tell me what happened last night? Why did I have to find out from Mia? I felt...felt like...UGH!" She through up her hands, pushing past him back to the bedroom. Grabbing the remote for the TV, she clicked it on, muted it and busied herself with anything besides dealing with Dom.

"Mia was here?" He came out of the bathroom hands on his hips.

"Yeah," she sighed, smoothing her hands over the pillows as she replaced them neatly against the headboard. "She was looking for you."

"There something wrong?" he asked, again moving on her from behind. His hands went to her hips and turned her to face him. "What's wrong, Cam? What's got this all twisted around this morning?"

She dropped her head, trying to remain detached, emotionless, but it was impossible. Her hands balled against his arms. Eyes filled with angry hurt turned on him. "Letty's looking for you, too. Mia says she wants to FIX things between the two of you. Wants you to know that V was a mistake."

"It's over," he growled, running his wide hand the length of her back. "I don't like repeating things."

"And I don't like having doubts," she countered, her eyes boring into his. "Get dressed, Dom."

"You're not serious. You're throwing me out?" he shouted, grabbing his jeans from the bed.

"No, just telling you to go. Telling you to make sure things don't look different today than they did last night. No doubts." She turned back to the bathroom before his reaching hand could draw her against him again.

"I got no..." he tried to argue. But she made sure he didn't finish the sentence.

"Just go, Dom. Get it over with." Slamming the bathroom door she slipped into the cleansing water of the shower.

"FUCK!" he hissed, shoving into his jeans and snatching up the rest of his clothes, hurrying to get out for her house. Hurrying to get away from the room he would have gladly given up the rest of the day to.

So engrossed in each other, they hadn't spared the crisp images on the TV screen the briefest attention, hadn't see the top story of the hour. The reporter standing in front of a club they had visited the night before was ignored as he regurgitated information about the brutal crime there ... about a stripper that had been murdered and disposed of in a nearby dumpster. They would have easily been able to put the description of the woman and her name together, Darlene.

****************************************

Dom entered the garage only to be met head on with the residual effects of the night before and his mood already teetering on the edge of bad took a sharp turn south. Vince stood near the office, waiting. It was obvious he was nervous, edgy. Dom watched him pace in short strides before he entered the cool shadows of the garage. Vince's head popped up at his foot steps on the concrete floor.

"Dom," Vince greeted, looking every bit like he was about to face a firing squad.

Dom's eyes narrowed as he stalked past Vince. "Where is she?"

"Looking for you." He followed after him.

"What the hell for?" Dom asked, over his shoulder, moving towards the small office.

"She wants to talk to you," Vince replied, steeling himself against the blast of Dom's temper he knew was sure to come, provoking it with the next words off his tongue, he was sure. "Need to talk, too. I know I should've said something..."

Dom turned on him then, eyes filled with the raw fire of anger. He shoved Vince hard sending him scrambling backwards for footing. Dom's hand flew up gesturing between them "Goddamn right Vince. Instead of disrespecting my house. Disrespecting my bed. Disrespecting me, man."

"I got no excuse. What we did was wrong. I'm sorry, brother." He dropped his head, cutting his eyes up to the other man, someone he'd practically known his whole life.

"I forgive, Vince. I don't forget and trust is a damn hard thing to earn back." Dom sighed, his anger draining away in slow degrees. He took a few tentative steps towards the office and then turned back to Vince.

"I love her, Dom. I know she don't give a shit about me, but I love her." He shrugged, finally confessing the feelings that had an iron clad hold on him.

"She's made her choice, V. Whether she knows it or not ... and so have I. We're done with this shit." Just when he was certain he had said all there was to say, Letty came stalking into the garage.

"Shit, Dom. I've been looking for you everywhere." She crossed the garage towards he and Vince, glaring at the latter.

"Looking in all the wrong places. Mia didn't have any problem finding me. I wasn't hiding, Letty," he ground out, jaw clenched tight, feeling the need to end this quickly, with as little discussion as possible. "I was with Cameron. Across the street."

"I knew it! I knew you were gonna fuck her to get back at me. That fuckin skank!" she shouted, advancing on Dom, eyes sparking with a deep seething rage. "We could've saved this."

"No. It was over long before this. I know what I want and with who." He shook his head, grabbing her arms and gently squeezing. "I'm only saying this once, so listen good, Letty. There is no more us. We're both over it." He leaned in whispering. "Give V a shot." She twisted away from him, jerking hard against his hands.

Vince stood, hands in his pockets, ready to retreat into a dozen or so coronas. He'd hoped to talk to Dom and be out of the garage by the time she showed up, putting some distance between them. But now he was trapped there, wanting to go but wanting to be there on the remote chance Letty actually needed him.

Cam couldn't have had worse time, stepping out of the jetta, smiling across the roof at the teasing comment Jesse had just delivered. The two continued in conversation as they strode through the doorway of the garage. Before she realized what or who was rushing towards her she felt the brutal blow delivered to her face, splitting her lip. Stumbling backwards she fell hard on her ass and a brief glance assured her that indeed it was the one person she suspected, Letty. The other woman was on top of her holding her down as another shot connected with her right eye. She wouldn't take another jab without giving tit for tat. Jerking her elbow upwards, it connected directly under Letty's chin, snapping her head back and giving Cam a moment to shove her off. There were precious few seconds before Letty was coming at her again. She managed to make it to a crouch before Letty was on her delivering a kick to her ribs.

"Fuck!" she hissed, as her breath rushed from her lungs a second before her foot shot out, heel swiping at Letty's ankle with enough force to send her pitching to the hard unforgiving cement. There was a sickening thud and to her surprise Letty didn't even pause, knocking her onto her back. They were rolling, each searching out the better gasp on the other, the better body blow. Then they were being roughly hauled apart.

"Enough!" Dom yelled. "Get her outta here, Vince."

Vince lifted a struggling Letty off the ground and strode toward his car, curse after curse following in their wake. Dom loosened his hold on Cam as she shoved against his restraining arm, knowing Letty wasn't coming back of another shot.

"So much for pulling hair and scratching." Jesse said, jaw hanging slack, surprised that Cam had held her own with Letty. He couldn't remember another girl ever coming close.

Dom glared at him and followed Cam as she headed for the tattered water hose beside the garage. Brightly oxygenated blood oozed down her chin, staining the white cotton of her shirt. Moving behind her, Dom rested his hand against her back as he washed the blood away. She held up her hand warning him off, trying to rein in the flood of adrenaline through her system.

"Come on, Cam. Let me have a look." He forcefully turned her, gently probing the rent in her lip he smiled. "Not bad."

"Oh, thanks." She pushed at his hands. "What the hell was that about? BESIDES the obvious."

"Letty getting it through her hard damn head that there's nothing to fix." He pulled her into the garage with him, into the office. "What are you doing here in the first place?" he asked, lifting her into his lap as he sat behind the desk.

She shoved two fingers in front of his face. "First, I wanted to tell you I missed you." She made the mistake of trying to deliver a gentle kiss to his neck but instead yelped in pain as her lips made contact.

"Easy, baby." He took her chin between his fingers and pulled her lips to his, carefully supplying an unequaled kiss of tenderness. "What's the second?" His grin was filled with a teasing confidence, knowing he obliterated anything else in her head.

"Huh?" The smile she returned seemed a little less than sober.

He pulled her hand back up in front of him and folded all but two of her fingers. "Two things you were gonna tell me?"

"OH! Yeah!" She mentally shook herself. "The second ... I figured out the numbers. Nico's numbers. It's a storage place. Not far from here."

********************************************

Half an hour later Dom was pulling up in front of the Hide Away storage complex, eyes scanning the storage units for just the right number.

"There!" Cam pointed out a set of numbers ahead. "That has to be it...the numbers are the same as Nico's birthday."

Doms eyebrows rose, grinning. "He couldn't be more original?"

"Hey, I never said the boy had a great imagination." She shrugged. Cam's stomach began to flutter with a barrage of butterflies as they left the car and moved to the door of the unit. Fishing in her pocket for the key, she tried it in the lock. As it popped open, Dom pulled the wide door upwards.

Cam stared into the contrasting darkness for a brief moment then cut her eyes over to Dom, questioning if they should actually be doing this. There, inside the roomy unit, was a car, dust cover in place. Dom wasted no time in stalking inside and whipping the cover off, looking the car underneath over with a disgusted glare. There was more than one perfectly formed hole in the body and one directly through the passenger side windshield. Inside, a dark stain fanned out across the headrest and streaked lower across the seat.

"That what I think it is?" She shuttered, paling, skirting around the car not wanting to get any closer.

"Looks like." He leaned in for a closer look, finding there were other stains, other particles. It all lead him to believe the car had been the last ride for someone.

"Those are bullet holes." She backed even further way, nervous. Turning, she took stock of the rest of the storage, finding two cases against the far wall.

"Dom." She pointed them out. Coming around the car, he took her hand and proceeded toward the only other objects in the room. Cam dropped to her knees and reached for the first case, fingers fumbling with the latch and the sinking feeling that was taking over mind and body. Suddenly the case popped open in her hand and she scrambled backward, gasping, staring wide-eyed.

Dom turning in a quick semicircle, hands clutching roughly at his smooth head, disgusted and afraid ... afraid where this was going. He turned taking another long look at the carefully wrapped bundles inside. White powder. He didn't even want to begin to guess at the value of what he was looking at or what had gone down to get it here, hidden.

"I'm so screwed, Dom. If this is what they want..." There was a hitch in her words as the tears began, wrapping her arms around her knees. "Nico. What the hell is going to happen to him?" She knew the answer but couldn't bring herself to let it sink in. She turned red rimmed eyes to Dom as he lowered himself down beside her handing over a white envelope.

"What?..."

He pointed at the open case. "Probably from Nico."

Opening it, she read the few simple words printed there, tears rolling along her cheeks.

_Cammie,_

_I'm sorry. Do what you have to now._

_Love always, Nico _


	6. Chapter 7

**Chapter 6**

Nico's head was filled with a cottony thickness, a drug induced stupor. The room was dark and quiet, quiet all except the sound of flesh impacting flesh and the resulting grunt of pain. The smell of sweat and blood was thick. Across the room he was being carefully watched, eyes noting the pain with every new blow, enjoying it with the relish that only a deep seeded need for vengeance produced.

"Nico, it could have been so good for you. All you had do was play by the rules. Play by MY rules." The deep bourbon smooth voice filled the room just as another fist impacted his face, splitting the skin above his eye, the other already closed from swelling.

"You listenin' you piece of shit?" The hard accented voice came from above him, then another blow.

"Shut the fuck up, Anthony," came from across the room again. There was the shuffling of feet in the room but Nico couldn't turn his head even if he wanted to.

"She have it?" Sala Costus turned leaning forward, arms resting on the large marble desk in front of him. Pinning the two men he generously employed. Pinning them with a deadly glare from the deep wells of his obsidian eyes, knowing the answer before they even opened their mouths. "The stripper?"

"Don't know. She left the garage with that punk Toretto. We lost him." Both the men seemed suddenly preoccupied with the buttons on their Armani jackets. "The stripper is ice. Dumped what was left in a dumpster."

Sala nodded, standing from the desk crossing in front of it. "Don't know? Lost him?" Crossing his arms over his wide chest he waited for them to give him a long list of excuses.

"He's a damn good driver, fast even when he ain't racin . But I don't think he knew we were tailing him."

"And this is your expert opinion?" he said calmly moving toward the two, arm going around the shorter of the two, a random choice. Leading him across the room he clapped the man reassuringly on the opposite shoulder. "Don't worry about it. It's not gonna matter one way or another to you." A malicious grin split his lips as he neared the large floor to ceiling window, overlooking the city.

"Yeah?"

"Of course," Sala responded right before he stepped away from the man giving him a brutal shove that sent him careening through the panes of glass to the parking area six stories below. Stepping up to the window, he took a moment to appreciate the broken body draped across a forklift below, dark blood contrasting the yellow paint of the machine. Swinging around, he pointed at the remaining man.

"Clean that fuckin mess up. Do it right. If I see so much as a hint of blood your next. I swear to Christ," he growled low and menacing. Turning on Anthony his smile returned to the that of pure joy. "Finish it."

Anthony moved toward Nico, long dark hair falling into his face, but Sala's voice stopped him. "Take him down stairs. I don't wanna hear his screaming." Then he swaggered over to where Nico was strapped to the chair. "With your last breath..." He paused, sighing, turning his head away before he leaned in to whisper in Nico's ear. "Think about my nephew. Think about Carlo. Think about how he trusted you." Sala's hand snaked out and tangled in the other man's matted hair, he snarled. "That car. Where Carlo's head was blown apart. I'm gonna find it and I'm gonna bury that little girl friend of yours in it," he promised to Nico's muffled shouts. It was too much of a temptation being this close to the target of his rage and not inflicting a small measure of pain himself, he delivered the next blow and the next.

*************************************************

Dom stepped out of the car, his mind still on the problem of the storage unit and its contents. Cam opened the passenger side door as Mia flew down the back steps of the house.

"Where've you been?" she hissed, arms crossed over her chest, her brows knitted with worry. She paused in front of Dom .

"Busy. Why?" he asked, confused, not use to facing an inquisition from his sister. He wound his arm around Cam as she moved in close beside him, still unnerved by their discovery.

Mia nodded her head in their direction, trying to be discrete. "They've been sitting over there for two hours now," she whispered, cutting her eyes between Dom and Cam.

Glancing over his shoulder, Dom noticed two suits crossing the street toward them, their dark sedan parked in Cam's drive.

"Oh shit!" Cam gasp, trembling against Dom.

"Easy," he whispered his lips near her ear, fanning his warm breath against her skin. He gently pushed her toward Mia. "Go in the house."

"But, Dom ..." Mia shook her head, on the verge of refusing.

"Go!" he growled low in warning. Turning to face the two coming up the drive toward him, he was a human barrier between them and what was his.

Cam hurried after Mia, fear holding her in its icy grip. She thought of all the things that they could want, the people they could be but no amount of imagining could prepare her for the next few moments.

"Cameron Alexander?" one of the men called over Dom's shoulder. She stopped dead in her tracks, a scared glance at Mia and she turned.

"Yeah. That's me," she said, remaining rooted to the spot. Dom's eyes bore into her like a hot poker, trying to ignore him she shoved her hands into her back pockets.

"Miss, could we have a few minutes of your time," the same man asked, reaching into his jacket and flipping out a badge.

She shoved down the gasp she felt in her throat, schooling her features in innocent sweetness. "Sure." Walking towards them, Dom's gaze shot up a few degrees if that was even possible.

"We're sorry for intruding on your afternoon, Miss. But this morning...Well, we tried to contact you by phone and was told the number had been disconnected, so we had to contact you personally. This morning there was a body brought into the morgue." The officer gave her a few seconds to process what he was saying before he continued. She could feel Dom moving up behind her, his concerned anger quickly dissipating. "The only personal possession on the body was a wallet, there was no identification. Only a scrap of paper with your name and address." Cam began to shake uncontrollably, knowing the only person that it could be. Dom's hands rested comfortingly on her shoulders, squeezing comfortingly. "We need you to come and..."

"I'm comin with her," Dom spoke up, knowing what they wanted and how much she would need him there if what he suspected had happened. He guided her around the car. "We'll follow," he called, and the officers nodded and turned towards their car.

As Dom drove he glanced at Cam every few minutes, still shaking her eyes starring blankly ahead. "Cam."

"Hum?" She asked, not even turning to look at him.

"You ok?"

"Yeah, sure," she answered with the hollowness of emotional detatchment. "You know, it might not even be him, Dom." She shrugged, eyes ahead, barely blinking.

"Yeah, it's probably not." He cringed as he agreed with her, gut instinct telling him they were wrong, deadly wrong.

********************************************

"They were cops. They wanted her to look at a corpse." Mia cringed, clealry horrified, looking up to meet Jesse's eyes. "I felt so sorry for her. Think it really is someone she knows?"

Jesse shrugged, feeling as bad for Cam as Mia. "Probably, else they wouldn't have bothered with getting her to take a look."

"Dom went with her?" Leon asked, looking between the other two.

"Yeah, she looked pretty shook up," Mia answered, looking up as a deeper voice intruded.

"Who's pretty shook up?" Vince strode through the back door with Letty trailing behind him.

"Cameron," Mia answered, quickly explaining what she knew about the situation with the other woman, which to her frustration wasn't much. Mia noticed the gloating smile filling Letty's face. She shook her head and stood from the table.

"What's your problem?" Letty snarled.

Mia swung on her, eyes narrowed, anger radiating from her small frame. "Enough, Letty! Can't you just let it go? She's in real trouble. Someone she knows is dead. What else do you want? What'll make you feel better? Maybe if it were one of us going to identify her body?"

"Bitch!" Letty hissed, shoving from the table and stalking to the door. The back door slammed in her wake and Mia turned to Vince. "I'm sorry...But she's gotta..."

"I know. You didn't say anything I ain't been thinkin." He stood and followed out of the kitchen, knowing he would find Letty at the garage, the place she always went when she was hurting. She'd never let anyone see it but he knew what she was feeling, knew Mia's words had struck a hard blow.

*********************************************

"This way, Miss Alexander." He was pale, wearing a lab coat, pockets filled with bright blue latex gloves, the name tag read Milton Shribe. She shiver thinking of what he had to touch with those gloves, just the smell of the room alone was enough to make her nauseous. She didn't move, not an inch, as she glanced over her shoulder to where Dom stood. They had asked him to wait for her, not to distract her with his presence. He nodded his head a silent signal letting her know he would be there and that he knew she could do it. She shook her head, refusing, scared beyond reason.

"I'm not doing this. Not without him. You either let him come with me or I walk," she stuttered, her arms winding around herself, fighting her own body from head to toe. It was all too much, she couldn't take another thing much less if she had to do it alone.

"I'm sorry but..." Shribe began, only to have her turn and start to walk away. "Alright! This goes against my better judgment but FINE."

With a shaky smile she motioned for Dom to join her. Making his way across the room in record time, he asked, "What's goin on?"

"They agreed to let you come with me," she said wrapping her hand around his. "You mind?"

"No." He pulled her close and gave her a gentle squeeze. "Let's get it over with." They followed into a stark white room. Stainless steel tables took up the center of the room, and beyond that were rows of hinged doors. Knowing what was behind them it took all of her self control not to bolt, even with Dom at her side. But just when she was sure she couldn't look at the tray that was being slid from the drawer Dom's thumb began caressing the back of her hand in comforting little circles. She didn't know just when or where the two detectives came from but they were their standing in the background near the morgue assistant.

"Do you know him, Miss Alexander?" she heard them ask. Taking a deep breath she lowered her eyes and immediately bile rose in her throat. She shoved backwards and collided with Dom.

Dom's hands shot to her shoulders holding in place, knowing she would be running if not for him. All he wanted to do in that moment was hold her and spare her this.

"Ma'am?"

She nodded her head slowly her eyes riveted to the reality of death in front of her, gray skin covered a body brutalized to such an extent it was hard to tell where one wound ended an another began.

"Can you tell us his name, Miss...Cameron," one of the detectives asked.

"Nicola Iovanni."

"Do you have any idea..."

Her eyes traveled his body coming to rest in horrified fascination just below his wrists. "Wh...Wh...Where are his...His hands?" she whispered, shaking so badly her teeth began to chatter.

"Excuse me?" The detective moved closer trying to hear her.

"WHERE ARE HIS HANDS?"

The morgue assistant spoke up then. "They weren't found with the body, Miss."

She nodded, taking a step closer to Nico's body. "What happened to him?"

"We haven't proceeded to the autopsy yet but you can pick up a copy of the report in a week." Shribe gave her the standard line, deciding he had enough of standing there dealing with the deceased's family or friend, whatever the woman was.

"FUCKIN TELL ME!" she screamed, pulling out of Dom's grasp, hands balled at her sides. "I wanna know what they did to him!" The detectives moved forward ready to intervene if need be, but the assistant held up his hand.

"All right, Miss. It's not pretty but from preliminary examination and blood samples the man was first inject with a large dose of amphetamines. This most likely was done while he was restrained. Then it appears..."

"How do you know that?" she asked, needing every scap of information she could gain.

"See here? The cuts. It was probably something metal." His gloved hand moved upwards on Nico's arm. "The bruising there? It was the injection site. Probably a couple of hours before he expired."

"I don't understand." She sighed, wrapping her arms around herself. "Why the Amphetamines if they were going to kill him?"

Dom stepped up behind her, for the first time really looking at the man ... the man that had been so important to Cam, now dead. He was no stranger to death in general but this was all together something new. The body looked mauled, mutilated. Someone didn't just want Nico dead, they wanted to send a message. Costus.

He tilted his head, thinking, the reason never crossing his mind before that moment. "The only reason there would be for that is to prolong...To... Well, to torture him longer. He would be totally oblivious to the pain, quieter victim. And it does appear that he was restrained for sometime, possibly days. "

A surreal calm settled over her as she continued to question the assistant, knowing he wasn't the official word on Nico's death but that he knew enough to provide her with the information she wanted. Then there was dealing with the questions leveled at her. The detectives moved in for the kill, hurling question after question at her.

***********************************************

Dom paced in his room. Cam hadn't said a word since they left the morgue. He could feel her pulling away into herself and it scared him more than the drugs, the cops, hell even Costus. He could deal with anything but her silent acceptance and he decided to try talking to her again. Down the hall he stopped in front of the bathroom door, hearing the shower inside. Turning the knob he slipped inside, the warm moist air instantly clinging to his skin.

"Cameron, we gotta..."

"Dom." Her voice was a strangled plea of need, pushing the blue plastic shower curtain away. He stared for a moment watching water roll along her slight curves, pool at her belly button and soaking the down thatch of auburn curls between her thighs. Whipping his shirt over his head he tossed it to the cool linoleum, the rest of his clothes were quick to follow. He stepped under the stream of water with her, folding her in his thick muscled arms.

"Oh god, Dom. I keep thinking about what they did to him. His hands. Why the fuck did they do that?" She buried her face against his slick chest. "I'm scared."

"I know." he pulled her tighter, feeling her sobs now and he gave a relieved sigh. "Promise me something, Cam."

"What?" she hiccupped, another sob logging in her throat.

"I don't want you going back over to your place. I want you to stay here with me and Mia." His finger went under her chin and pulled her face up to meet his eyes. "Promise me that."

"I promise, Dom." She gave him a weak smile, but it was short lived and she was soon sobbing again. Dom held her there in the warm cascade of water, held her until the water was cold and they began to chill despite their combine body heat.


	7. Chapter 8

**Chapter 7**

Another night and another race. Cam had come to enjoy these nights, not for the crowds, not for the noise, but to watch Dom shine like a lone star in a midnight sky. He was brilliant with a well tuned car and a wide open stretch of asphalt. He was hers and he made that clear to everyone.

Now, Cam stood with Mia and Brian as Dom pulled up to the starting line, music pouring from his car. He glanced over at her, a confident smile on his lips. That same smile that could turn her limbs to rubber, the same smile that could make her beg. Melted, that's what she did when she was on the receiving end of that smile. The smile she returned to him was one that promised a long night to come. Win or loose he knew it would be the same, the two of them, touching, loving.

Cam wound her arms around herself nervous about the coming seconds, seconds that the unthinkable could happen. But to her credit she never looked away, never failed to watch Dom speed away from her to a different sort of love.

"Don't worry. He'll be fine." Was becoming Mia's scripted line just before the cars left the line.

"Yeah, I know." Came Cam's standard reply. Her heart leaping into her throat as the cars screamed off down the pavement. She waited holding her breath, knowing what this race meant to Dom, the money that was on the line. It was soon clear that Dom was the hands down winner of the race and minutes later as he pulled near her he was instantly surrounded by a crowd congratulating him. Pushing his way through them he found her and pulled her roughly against the thick wall of his chest, his lips claiming her.

"We're celebrating tonight." He told her, walking back to the car his arm holding her against his side, holding out a big wad of cash to her.

"We celebrate every night, Dom." She winked teasingly at him, laughing. "Oh, wait, you mean outside of bed." She whispered, her hand under his dark shirt resting on the smooth hard wall of his stomach.

"We're leaving..." He leaned down, running his tongue over her ear as he whispered.

"Hear me complaining?" She smiled, her fingers working across his stomach to playfully pluck at the waist band of his pants.

Pulling her around in front of him he guided her back to the car, whispering all the little erotic things that he had planned for her. Slipping into the passenger side she watched Dom walk around the car as she trembled with anticipation.

"Think we'll make it home this time?" She nibbled seductively at her full lower lip, her hand lighting on his thigh and trailing upwards.

"Not if you keep that up." He grinned, and wrapped his hand behind her neck and pulled her to him. He sealed their lips as his tongue thrust between her lips, mimicking what was to come, the promise of a more intimate meeting.

"The garage?" She asked which was much closer than Dom's house.

"No, not tonight, baby." He smiled against her lips, knowing it was gonna be a long drive home but he was determined to have a long slow night with her. Not some stolen moments in the garage because neither could wait. This was a special night, not because of the haul he'd pulled in but because it was the first night he noticed that Nico's death wasn't hanging around her, wasn't holding her in a tight grip of guilt.

She gave him a long frustrated sigh. "Your gonna make it worth the wait." There was a moment when she wanted to roll with laughter as his features took on a offended twist.

"Thought I always did. Never heard you complaining." He said starting the car and pulling out into traffic.

"A little touchy aren't ya?" A giggle bubbled from her throat to fill the car, filling Dom's ears.

"Fuck no, I know I'm good." He gave her a wicked little smile and reached out pulling her as close as the console would allow. His hand traveling back and forth over her thigh before it slipped between them to caress the soft denim covered mound.

"Think I should be the judge of that." She whispered, leaning over to nuzzled at his neck. Her lips pulled the dusky skin between her moist lips, suckling and nipping.

"Mmmmm...Cam..." He tried to center his attention on the road but she was quickly becoming an overwhelming distraction. "Wait. We're gonna wait." He gently pulled away from her, a heavy sigh falling from his lips.

Her smile echoed the promise of sensual retribution she had instore for him. "Fine..." She shrugged, her chin resting on his shoulder, eyes boring into him. "Dom, your really are a piece of work." She giggled. Locking her eyes with the road ahead, determined to make it through the ride to his house.

*********************************************

Dom arched into her for a final time, pouring all his love into her waiting body. Sated, his chest heaved, trying to draw a calming breath as he nuzzled against her neck, her arms held him securely. Rolling to his side he took her with him, pulling her tightly to his side as she lay her head against his chest.

"I guess there is something to be said for waiting." She giggled, tracing lightly against his abdomen, sighing in the after glow of their love making.

"Told you." He yawned, his eyes slipping slowly closed as his heart settled into the same rhythm as the throbbing music from below.

Cam cut here eyes upwards watching his features relax into sleep, watching the hard edges sooth to that of a younger man. Watched the burden of others he carried, so seemingly easy, melt away. She sighed, happy, content for the first time in the months since Nico's death. She was just allowing herself the needed peace to slip into her own sleep when I light knock came at the door.

"Cam?" Came Mia's hissed whisper.

Looking again at Dom Cam began to untangle herself from his sleep saturated limbs, legs that closed over hers, hands that held her tightly, but some how she managed to move off the bed without waking him. Padding to the door she eased it open and peered around it's edge. "What is it, Mia?" She asked, yawning.

"There was a phone call for you about an hour ago. The guy said you gave him this number and he said something about picking up a sculpture first thing in the morning for a show in San Diego." Mia explained nervously, her eyes boring into Cam. "Does that sound right to you?"

"Oh shit!" Cam's hand came up to cover her mouth. "Yeah...Yeah...It does...He commissioned some work about six months ago and I've been in contact with him off and on since then." She whispered, dropping her hand. "It's not done..." Cam turned into the room, leaving the door ajar, throwing on a light colored T-shirt and her discarded jeans. "I gotta get over there and finish it up..." She whispered, slinking out into the hall beside Mia.

"Cam, you can't. Dom said..." Mia started, trying not to play the over protective friend but failing miserably. "Cam, you shouldn't be over there."

"It's ok, Mia. I won't be long, an hour at the most." Cam promised and started down the hall. "Don't worry." She smiled over her shoulder at the other woman. Bounding down the stairs she spilled out into the temperate summer night.

At the end of the block, behind dark windows, hard menacing eyes watched her sprint across the street. Weeks and weeks of surveillance had paid off in those few second and the car was sent rolling slowly towards the house, her house.

***********************************************

Taking a deep breath Cameron turned the key in the lock of the front door and slipped inside, reaching for the light switch just inside the door. Bright light suddenly flooded the room around her and she breathed as sigh of relief.

Marching through the living room into the kitchen she headed strait for the fridge, throwing the door open she withdrew a chilled Pepsi and a bottle of whine, a bottle Nico had given her for her twenty first birthday. Looking at the bottle she sighed sadly reading his family's label across the dark glass. Replacing it on the counter she decided that she would share it with Dom, share it in a special moment, a happy and joyous occasion.

Turning she popped the tab on the Pepsi and took a deep draw from the can, trying to forget the aching in her body, the tiredness that seeped into her bones, a residual effect of hours spent with Dom. She walked towards the back door, her hand touching the chilled knob just as the lights overhead flicked out. She jumped, her skin instantly producing goose flesh along her limbs. "Fuck!" She hissed in the over quite of the now darkened house. Turning back into the kitchen she felt her away long the counter tops, bumping a knee here, and a thigh there, trying to figure out where she had put the only flashlight she owned.

************************************************

Sleep didn't last long for Dom, his bodies demands waking him, renewing the driving need for the woman that should have been wrapped loosely around him, wrapped like she had been so many nights before. But as his eyes cracked open he realized not only was she not draped over him she wasn't even in the bed. Rubbing a work roughened hand across his shorn head he sat up at the edge of the bed. "Cam?" He called seeing the soft glow of light from under the bathroom door. When there was no answer he stood and walked to the door pushing it inwards. There was nothing but separated laundry and a dripping facet inside the room. Turning he sighed grabbing up his jeans from the floor and pushing his legs into them.

At the head of the stairs he watched as the party below went on unimpeded by the hour. His sleep glazed eyes scanned the crowd in hopes of seeing Cam there, but he quickly realized she wasn't there and probably never had been. His steps carried him back down the hall to Mia's room. Lifting his hand, poised above the cream colored paint of her door, he knocked lightly. The low resounding knock belied the size of Dom's hand, mocked the gentleness that he gave to that moment. "Mia?" He called through the door.

"Just a sec, Dom." Came back to him, along with the sounds of her scurrying around inside. He took a step back as the door was suddenly pulled open. Mia stood there, hair gently tussled, holding the edges of her thigh length robe together. A narrowed gaze went to the lounging figure in her bed, accepting the situation but never getting use to seeing his sister like this. Across the room Brian ducked his head, averting his eyes as a slight shade of rose settled over his skin. "What is it, Dominic?" Mia nearly giggled, trying to rein in her own humored reaction at the two.

"Have you seen Cam?" His voice was low and filled with growing worry.

Mia nodded slowly and cringed, taking a deep breath she handed over Cam's where abouts. She knew Dom would be angry, consumed with worry, and the possibility of him lashing out at her was a very real one.

"She went where?" He stared stunned at Mia, not sure he'd heard her right the first time.

"She went across the street to her house, Dom."

"GODDAMN!" He spat, slamming his open palm, with jarring force against the door frame.

Mia jumped in surprise as she watched him whirl and rush down the hall, moments later she head the door slam below, heard it over the music and knew it was lucky to remain in the frame at all.

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Cameron was just reaching into the brimming drawer next to the stove for the flashlight when she heard something, faint but distinctive. It was the ominous hiss of crafted metal sliding, of a round being chambered in a semi automatic, and to her horror glancing down a illuminated red dot appeared above her left breast. She dropped heavily to the floor a moment before the first shot ricochet off the stainless steel stove.

"Oh shit!..Oh shit!" She chanted, her mind a muddle of paralyzing terror. Crouching there, her hands over her head she heard Dom's voice in the recesses of her mind urging her to move, urging her to safety . Slowly lifting her head she crawled around the end of the counter, lifting her hand with tapered fingers danced across the Formica, searching. Searching until she encountered the thick wooden block that housed the various lengths and widths of razor sharp knifes. Curling her fingers around the largest handle she slipped the wide butcher's knife free of it's resting place, pulling it towards her, pulling her only instrument of protection from the counter. And with her retreating hand she encountered something she hadn't expected, bumping lightly with the silvery tip of the knife, the cylinder rolled off the counter top and slammed against the floor beside her. She jerked the knife down, throwing her empty hand over her mouth. She pitched her back flat against the smooth wooden side of the counter, her shimmering eyes wide in the darkness. There was another pinging shot the echoed through the kitchen, creating sparks as it impacted and then went trailing across the kitchen.

She waited, breath suspended, movement curtailed. Why hadn't she listened to Dom? Why had she come over for that damn sculpture? She berated herself knowing she had made a deadly and stupid to pull her bare foot upwards in preparation for a move, preparing to get out of the kitchen she encountered the silver cylinder. Reaching out she grabbed it up, clutching it along with the knife close to her chest. With her knees pulled under her she began to crawl towards the backdoor, but she suddenly changed direction as a shadow washed across the glass above. There was no escape through the back and so there was only one avenue left to her. Nearing the doorway between the kitchen and living room she inched up the door frame, listening, her eyes darting here and there. The knife proceeded her, raised and ready as she clicked on the flashlight and released a shrill scream. A face appeared and then contorted with pain, pain and shock.

"Oh my god! Dom!" She gasped, feeling the slick warm trickle of blood coating her fingers at the hilt of the knife.

There was nothing but a rush of breath as his weight pulled them both to the floor, her hands automatically going to the gleaming protrusion from his side. A heartbeat before she would have jerked the knife from him a heavy weight settled on her shoulder. Whipping around she saw Brian's concerned face. Shaking his head he lifted one hand from here it was wrapped around a gun and reached for a towel.

"Stop the bleeding as much as possible." He hissed in a whisper, his eyes falling over Dom's still form as he handed over the towel.

The searing pain in his side stole Dom's voice but his eyes were pinned directly on Cam. He saw the terror clearly and he didn't know if it was because of him, the intruder, or equal parts of both.

"Oh god, Dom! I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!..." She whispered over and over, wrapping the cloth around the knife in his side.

"Cam...listen to me..." He gasped, feeling the moments of his consciousness waning. "wasn't your fault...I love you.."

Tears streamed down Cameron's cheeks at those words, knowing no matter what he said the guilt would be a long time in leaving her. "Dom, I love you too! Just don't talk, okay? Just...Just..." She was close to dissolving into hysterics as the stem of blood didn't seem to be slowing, instead oozing down his side and pooling below him. It was just then that another shot whizzed by and Brian lurched to the side. Lifting his own gun he returned fire at the shadow that detached from the wall and fled. The front door was thrown wide and Brian sprinted through the dark after the phantom gunman, yelling over his shoulder for her to call 911.


End file.
